Pokemon Amethyst an Garnet (2020 Version)
by Eric T. M
Summary: Chinocko is a place of natural wonder and astonishing urbanization alike. However, one thing makes it stand out from other regions: Burst Energy, a powerful energy that flows through Chinocko's rich earth. Can Riley, a fresh Pokemon Trainer, uncover the mysteries of Burst Energy before it's used for evil? Can Team Delta protect Chinocko's natural beauty like they promise? Read on.
1. A Dangerous Beginning

A soft breeze whispered through the window, moving the curtains out of the way so that the bright sun could brighten the room. Some papers on a blue desk rustled with the breeze, and the sound of a door creaking open was muffled by the cool morning air. Tiny tappy footsteps pattered along the wooden floor. A small little canine Pokemon with gray fur sat down on a rug next to a bed, preparing its legs to jump up. It leaped onto the mattress! It padded carefully up towards where a young man slept silently. Dropping its light weight on the boy's legs, it barked, "Pu-wup!"

The boy groaned and rose into a seated position against his colourful pillows. He rubbed his eyes with the back of his fingers and blinked, adjusting to the soft sunlight. He saw his friend sitting on his legs, and smiled as he reached out a hand to gently scratch the Pokemon's fluffy neck.

"Pup," it barked in pleasure. The house was entirely silent. The young man moved the small Pokemon off of his legs and slid them to the side of his bed. He was wearing puffy pajama bottoms and a lose-fitting lounge shirt that had a red plaid PokeBall design on it. He hopped off his bed and slugged his tired self over to the dresser, where he picked out an outfit for himself to put on. Meanwhile, the Pokemon pattered its tappy little clawed paws out into the hallway and down the stairs.

There was a gray t-shirt with a pocket on the chest, a pair of dull-black cargo jeans with a chain attached to the belt which had a matching water bottle that could be attached, and a blue flannel overshirt with sleeves that grew wider near his wrists. This was his favourite outfit, as evidenced by the wide smile that crossed his face when he finished putting it on.

The Pokemon ran back into the room, panting excitedly. There was something in its mouth. It dropped the leash it had been holding in its mouth on the floor next to the boy's feet. The boy smiled caringly down at his Pokemon and clipped the leash around its neck. "Pupsky!" it yipped, hopping up and down ecstatically.

The boy and the Pupsky went downstairs where the boy's father sat at the kitchen table drinking a hot cup of fragrant coffee. "Morning, Riley," he smiled.

Riley waved back, holding onto Pupsky's leash.

"Oh, you're taking Pupsky for a walk?" his father asked.

Pupsky twirled around, and Riley nodded in confirmation.

"I bet he'll really enjoy it, Riley," his dad grinned. "Just remember not to go into the wild areas. Pupsky isn't experienced as a battle Pokemon."

Riley nodded, confirming that he understood.

With that, they were out the door. Pupsky took a deep breath of the air and ran on ahead. The sky was still pastel from the sunrise, though the refreshing autumn breeze kept Riley awake and alert. He followed where his excited Pokemon wanted to go, which left him jogging after it.

Suddenly, though, Pupsky's leash somehow came to undo itself! Pupsky didn't notice and ran off ahead! Riley immediately made chase, following it around the block, but its four legs really let it run fast! Pupsky ran right through the gate leading into the Forest Clearing to the west of New Moon Town! Riley stopped for a moment. The Forest Clearing was an area where wild Pokemon could be found… And he was all alone, too… But he needed to catch up to Pupsky! He ran towards the gate to continue the chase!

"Hey, wait!" someone called. "Riley, you don't have a Pokemon! The wild areas are dangerous without Pokemon!" Based on their knowledge of his name, it was probably one of Riley's neighbours. However, he didn't have time to heed the person's advice, and ran on ahead!

The trees in the Forest Clearing rustled, as did the bushes, and without a Pokemon to battle with, it all seemed so much more dangerous than it should have to Riley. He looked around… He could see Pupsky running over into some thick brush! He ran after it, hoping to catch it before it got lost!

Suddenly, a gust of wind knocked him right off his feet! "Taccit!" It sounded like the cry of a wild Pokemon! Riley struggled back to his feet. He only managed to get back to his knees before a Pokemon approached. Were he standing up, it probably wouldn't have seemed so big, but since he was on his hands and knees it looked bigger than him. "Tactic!" it cawed.

Riley looked around desperately. The Pokemon cried again. "Tacticrow!" It flapped its wings as it hopped closer with its body of considerable size. Its black feathers rustled in the forest breeze, which helped Riley to notice his anxiety was causing time to move in slow-motion.

"Crow!" Tacticrow cawed! It hopped closer and closer, rearing back its head in what seemed to be preparation for a strong, sharp peck! Riley threw up his arm over his face out of instinct, though he knew it wouldn't protect him from a strong Pokemon's attack!

Suddenly, the Pokemon stopped in its y-shaped tracks. It turned around, seeming to become instantaneously calm. "Crow," it cawed, much quieter this time. Time seemed to slow down.

There was a man standing there. He had a comfortable-looking yet stylish hiking outfit on, with a long indigo coat, and fluffy navy-blue hair and sideburns. He exuded a mysterious air that seemed to quiet the very air itself.

He rubbed his hand gently, unafraid, over Tacticrow's wing feathers. "There's no need to attack a young boy, Tacticrow," the man said, his voice clear, calm and softer than cotton. His voice had a hypnotic, relaxing quality which made the Pokemon, even though it was wild, become tame instantaneously.

Riley was still panting in fear, though he got back to his feet.

"Now, off you go, friend" the man instructed to the Pokemon. Obediently, the Tacticrow flapped its wings, making itself airborne, and then flew off into the leafy cover of the trees.

Riley stared in wonderment… had that man really just tamed a wild Pokemon without battling it?

The man smiled to Riley. "It's often said that you shouldn't go into the wild without a Pokemon to battle with, in case you run into a wild Pokemon… However, that mindset really only applies to Pokemon Trainers." He hardened his gaze on Riley. "I sure hope you weren't trying to go Pokemon catching without a license."

Riley explained the situation.

Just then, Pupsky ducked out from under a bush. It pranced over to Riley, and hopped up so that it could balance on two legs using Riley's leg as a support. The boy picked up his father's Pokemon and scolded it with a fiddle of his finger.

"Oh, hello friend," the man greeted, smiling at the Pupsky. "Well, in that case, please, stay safe. And may fate have it that we meet again."

Riley just stared, cradling Pupsky close to his body.

"Oh my, I almost forgot about the time," the blue-haired stranger sighed. "I must be on my way, but please, don't get into trouble." And with that, he walked away.

* * *

Riley quickly made his way home, relieved that everything had worked out in the end. Thankfully, there was breakfast ready for him when he got home. He spoke with his father about that morning's dramatic events.

"You went into the wild area without a Pokemon?" his father asked, sounding concerned. "You know how dangerous that is." He sighed, "But, I'm glad that everyone is back here safe now. Hey, speaking of, isn't tomorrow the day that you and Rose volunteered to help out at Maple Labs?"

Oh, gosh! Riley had almost forgotten! Tomorrow was the day he and his close friend had offered to help out at Maple Labs. That meant he would need to wake up really early tomorrow.


	2. Enter: Professor Maple

Pikachu, an iconic Pokemon, attacked using its most powerful move, Thunder, launching a zap of lightning at its opponent, Blastoise! The lightning bolt made a loud clap as it made contact with Blastoise, shocking the water-type Pokemon! The attack was super effective against the Blastoise, and dealt serious damage to it, but the Pokemon was determined to get up again! Stomping its two big feet into the ground, it pulled itself up using its tail to support it. It began charging up for a strong attack! The crowd excitedly cheered as the Pokemon battled it out, their Trainers standing a safe distance away from the heat of the battle and cheering their powerful Pokemon on!

The Blastoise released its charged attack, blasting two jet streams of water out of the two cannons in its shell! The move it had used was Hydro Cannon, an incredibly strong move! Pikachu jumped out of the way of one of the streams, but the second stream hit it right out of the air! Pikachu hit the ground, rolling against the dirt. It stopped rolling close to its Trainer's feet, who stared down at the Pikachu with concerned eyes. The Trainer began frantically digging through their bag, looking for something in particular. The Blastoise panted. It had used up a lot of energy to use such a powerful move as Hydro Cannon, and now it was recharging. This was the Pikachu's Trainer's chance to use a healing item! They pulled a Potion out of their bag and proudly spun it around in their palm, before applying the spray-on medicine to Pikachu's furry, staticy body.

Pikachu hopped up to its feet with a determined "Pika!" and wiggled its tail. Little sparks of electricity sizzled around its bright red cheeks. But Blastoise was now recharged! It immediately took the chance to perform another attack! It shot another jet stream of water out of its two cannons, but this one was lesser in power than before. This was merely a Water Gun attack. Pikachu dodged the attack perfectly this time! It looked back to its Trainer with pride in its eyes, and its Trainer looked back at it with a proud smile! The Trainer and their Pikachu nodded in unison, showing how in-sync they were!

Pikachu started running straight for Blastoise! Blastoise focused in on Pikachu, planning to dodge an oncoming physical attack! But what's this!? The Pikachu had disappeared from sight! Then, it reappeared in the air. It looked as though it had jumped up into the air, and there was a ball of electricity on the tip of its tail, ready to be launched! Blastoise smirked, prepared to dodge the attack! But then, it noticed another Pikachu, and another, and another next to that one! They were all doing the same motions! They were all ready to launch balls of electric energy at it! Confused, Blastoise gulped nervously. Its Trainer gasped.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, Pikachu headbutted Blastoise, right in the stomach! It was moving at such a high speed that the impact knocked Blastoise, as large as it was, right off its feet! It was an astonishing tactic! Pikachu had just used a fake-out Double Team to distract the Blastoise, then attacked it with a Quick Attack while it was distracted! Pikachu landed on top of the Blastoise's stomach, who had fallen onto its shell and was scrambling to get back up!

Blastoise grabbed the Pikachu though, and turned its cannons inward, aiming them right at the small mouse Pokemon in its clutches! The Pikachu squirmed, but Blastoise had a strong grip on it! The cannons filled with water as Blastoise prepared them to fire!

"Watching Pokemon battles from the Kanto region again, Riley?" his father asked, knocking on his door.

He turned his head, and smiled at his father. Pupsky was seated in Riley's warm lap, also watching the battle. "Pup-pup!" it barked as the televised Blastoise blasted the televised Pikachu with a Hydro Cannon attack.

"And it looks like Pikachu is unable to battle!" the battle's enthusiastic announcer shouted, audibly wincing. "And what a hit to go out on!"

"Kanto Trainers are pretty strong, aren't they? Well, I guess their League has had a lot of time to develop," Riley's dad rambled. "Anyway, you know you have to be up early tomorrow. So, why are you still up?" He grabbed the remote from off the top of Riley's dresser and switched off the television.

There was a Nintendo Switch connected to the TV as well. Riley remembered how excited he was when his dad bought him such an expensive present a few months back.

"I'm sure you'll have plenty of fun at Maple Labs tomorrow. Good night." His dad turned out the light and closed the door, leaving the room dark.

Riley climbed into bed and crawled into his warm covers. Pupsky jumped up and curled up between Riley's arms.

* * *

Riley was up almost immediately to the sound of his alarm clock, which also woke Pupsky. He slapped his alarm clock to get it to shut up, then hopped out of bed with a wide smile. He put his favourite outfit on again, the same one he had worn yesterday. The flannel overshirt was nice and warm against his skin in the brisk morning air. Not only was he going to get to see his friend Rose, but he was also going to get to help out at Maple Labs! And helping out at Maple Labs could mean only one thing: playing with Pokemon!

However, Angelique had more planned for him and Rose than they initially thought.

Riley raced down the stairs and started strapping on his hiking boots. It seemed like most people in Chinocko wore hiking boots. It made sense, considering the rugged, untouched terrain of Chinocko's wilds. Just then, he was stopped by his father.

"Morning, son," said his father with a smile. "I got you something to bring with you, in case you get hungry."

His dad held out a small cardboard box to him. There was a small clear-plastic window into the box.

"It's your favourite, a Chinoughnut," his dad grinned. "I know how much you love them. I went over to Torutara Town to get that for you. It's really too bad they don't just have a Chinoughnut Shoppe in New Moon Town, 'eh?"

Riley chuckled a bit. People in Chinocko tended to end their sentences in "'eh?" often, though it seemed kind of like a dying tradition. He put the Chinoughnut box into his over-the-shoulder bag, which was propped up against the wall beside the door. He knelt down to give a kiss to an excited Pupsky before he was out the door, shrugging his bag over his shoulder.

"Have fun!" his dad called out as the door closed.

Riley had walked the path to Maple Labs from his house tons of times. It was just on the northern outskirts of New Moon Town, his hometown, down a quaint gravel trail. He lived on the south side of town, though New Moon was in no manner a large town. He approached a fountain made of glossy black stone, which he knew from experience marked the very center of town. However, there was a girl sitting on the fountain's cold edge. She looked up from the sketchbook she was scratching in.

She had long brunette hair which covered one of her eyes and was topped by a dark-mauve beret. She wore a very similar outfit to Riley, though her flannel overshirt had dark-red plaid instead of blue, and her jeans were tight to her legs. She folded up her sketchbook and looked Riley in the eye as he walked up. "Riley," she acknowledged. "You kept me waiting."

This was Rose, Riley's close friend since many years ago. He always admired her ability to remain steadfast, even though her wit was a bit harsh. That said, he wasn't sure what she meant by 'kept her waiting', since they hadn't agreed to meet anywhere in the first place.

"So, bud, I bet you're excited. It's always fun helping out at Maple's," Rose smirked.

Riley nodded. How could he say no when he was so visibly excited?

"Wanna walk over to the lab together?" offered Rose.

Again, Riley nodded, this time even more enthusiastically.

"Oh, and before I forget… I got you something," she added, reaching a hand into her bag. She pulled out a long red scarf. "It's getting cold, I thought you could use th-… I mean, I thought it was foolish that you hadn't gotten yourself a scarf yet."

Riley gratefully accepted the gift, and immediately tied it around his neck. The tails of it were rather long, but he felt like he looked cool when the wind caught it and made it blow. He gave Rose his thanks.

The two of them walked up to Maple Labs together, chatting about what they had done throughout the week. Riley forgot to mention the events of yesterday.

It was a rather small building, but it looked bigger from the outside. There were lots of windows to let in natural light, which Angelique said helped her reduce stress. There was a small in-ground fountain in the fount, which a few maple leaves were floating on top of. The lab had its own logo on the outside wall of the second floor: a symmetrical red maple leaf, with 'Maple Labs' written underneath in Chinockan. The polished glass doors slid open upon Riley and Rose's arrival.

Angelique Maple was talking to one of her assistants when the two of them walked in. The assistant in question was somewhat short and skinny, and looked fairly young. She had shiny skin the colour of mahogany, and fluffy black hair with accessories in it. One particular accessory which stood out was a hair clip shaped like a Rotom. The assistant nodded in response to one of Maple's statements, and then left into one of the offices down the hall.

"Thank you, Akili," Maple said with a wave. Then, she turned to Riley and Rose, her already wide smiling evolving into a grin.

"'Ey," Rose greeted.

"Riley!" Professor Maple cheered with a small wave. "And Rosette!"

"Stop calling me that!" Rose groaned. "That's my full name, I don't like it!"

"Oh, but it sets you apart. It makes you unique," Maple chuckled, sighing.

"I prefer Rose, thank you very much," the girl harrumphed.

"Thank you guys for coming!" Maple said. "I know I can always rely on your two when I need help around here! I'm so proud of both of you for being so passionate about Pokemon!"

"What can I say? I like to see their adorable expressions when they get their food!" Rose cooed, thinking about the image she described. "I-I mean-"

"No, you're right, that's one of my favourite parts about being a Pokemon Professor," Maple chuckled. "However… I think I have a surprise for you that you'll both like quite a bit!"


	3. A Trainer's First Pokemon

"A surprise?" Rose asked, her eyes growing wider.

"Indeed! Please, come with me into my office," instructed Maple.

Riley and Rose followed their trusted Pokemon mentor into her office, which was very inviting, not like a typical office. There was a long conference table in the middle, and a tiny fountain in one corner which made a nice rustling sound as the water flowed down it. There was a briefcase on the conference table.

"Is that the surprise?" Rose guessed.

"Wait 'til you see what's inside!" Maple grinned, getting equally excited to see the kids' reactions. Maple herself was not very old, especially for a Pokemon Professor, and especially for a well-known and credited Pokemon Professor like herself. She had a youthful face and voluminous brown hair. Rather than wearing a lab coat, she wore a cropped burgundy blazer and a red-checkered tie, a formal white dress shirt and a pair of black slacks.

She walked over to the briefcase, and teased the lock. Rose and Riley's faces both changed with their excitement. Maple giggled and opened the briefcase fully. There were only a few things inside. Three small cushions, each of which had a PokeBall nestled on top of it. There was a red-orange cushion, a baby blue cushion, and a sea green cushion.

Both Riley and Rose couldn't believe their eyes.

Maple opened the first PokeBall, the one on the orange cushion. A tiny Pokemon came out, which had a sturdy-looking shell and bristly fur everywhere where its shell didn't cover. There were some cracks in its shell which glowed red with what appeared to be well-contained lava. "B-Burn?" it chittered shyly, looking around. It looked timidly at Riley and Rose.

"It's okay, Burndillo," Maple said softly. "These guys are both kind and responsible."

"Aww!" Rose cooed, holding her cheeks at the sight of the adorable Burndillo. "Oh my gosh, are you giving us Pokemon!?"

"Indeed I am, Rose," Maple grinned. "Allow me to explain. I, Professor Angelique Maple, study Pokemon habitats, as part of Chinocko's region-wide efforts to conserve the livelihood of Pokemon. That's why we have so many Pokemon here at Maple Labs. We take them in when their habitats have been jeopardized, and study them in hopes of finding a way to release them back into the wild where they belong. I've seen you guys grow more and more responsible, and more and more passionate about Pokemon, and I know that if anyone can help me with my mission, it's you two."

"No way!" Rose gasped.

Riley gasped as well.

Maple continued, "The Pokemon contained in these three PokeBalls have all fallen victim to habitat disturbance for different reasons. Since we have no way to return them to the wild, I want you to care for them and give them the happy lives they deserve."

"I-I understand," Rose said, nodding.

Riley also nodded.

"I can't believe this is really happening…!" cheered a giddy Rose.

"This is Burndillo," Maple explained, turning everyone's attention to the Pokemon which was sitting on the table. "It's a Fire-type Pokemon with a very sturdy shell which it uses to roll around. Burndillo used to live in the mountains of the Desert Subregion, but the Power Fields were built there, and the population quickly declined when that happened."

"Aww… poor thing…" Rose sympathized.

Professor Maple opened the PokeBall on the green cushion, and this time a bear Pokemon came out. It had fluffy green fur with tiny flowers growing through the fluffiest parts. "Cubbush!" it cheered, jumping up and down a few times. It was bipedal, unlike Burndillo.

Maple explained, "This Pokemon here is Cubbush. It is Grass-type. The population of Cubbush steeply declined when foreign Poison-type Pokemon from south of Chinocko invaded the Tempris Woods and surrounding areas. Cubbush was hit the hardest out of all the Pokemon in that area."

"Oh no…" sighed Rose. "That's sad…"

"Indeed, but I believe you can bring something great to its life if you choose it," Maple smiled. She opened the final PokeBall, out of which came a stout serpentine Pokemon. The Pokemon had silky, vulnerable-looking fins that ran down its spine and belly. Furthermore, there was a hard skull-looking mask over its face. Its large, cute eyes shone through the mask.

"Elelel?" the Pokemon inquired, inspecting its surroundings. It used it fins to hover above the table, almost as if it were swimming.

"Last but not least," Maple began, "this is Elelel, a Water-type Pokemon. It used to live off the coast of the region, but recently sea water has become warmer due to effects of human development on the climate, which led to Elelel no longer being able to thrive in its habitat."

Rose's face lit up. She knew which one of the Pokemon she just had to have. "I want that one!" she shouted.

Maple chuckled, "Riley, you've been so patient, I think you should pick first."

He was honoured. He looked at the three Pokemon. He wanted to take care of all of them… but that unfortunately wasn't an option.

"Come on, Riley, pick already," Rose urged.

"Rose…" Maple subtly scolded. "Riley, take your time. This is a big decision, after all. It requires a lot of thought, I understand."

After plenty of thought, Riley came upon his decision. He reached out and pet the muzzle of the timid Fire-type Pokemon Burndillo. It looked up nervously at his hand, but when it realized Riley meant him no harm, it nuzzled his palm. He grabbed the PokeBall corresponding with Burndillo.

"I thought you might pick that one, Riley," Maple said, her glossy lips pulled into a wide smile. "Rose, your turn."

"Elelel, no question!" Rose answered, tickling Elelel's chin. The inquisitive Pokemon inspected its new owner, chirping with approval. "Riley, we've talked about this day for so long! It's time for us to finally have a battle!"

"Hold on," Maple insisted. "You can't battle with Pokemon unless you have a Pokemon Training License."

Rose's excitement halted. "Huh?"

"Chinocko requires that Pokemon Trainers have a Trainer License to train and battle with their Pokemon," Maple explained. "It's for the sake of the Pokemon. People who plan to use Pokemon for evil run the risk of losing their license to legally train Pokemon, you see."

"Oh, I see… Well, how do we get our Trainer Licenses?" Rose asked.

"Luckily, as a Professor of Pokemon, I'm authorized to distribute them." Maple looked at Riley and Rose, who both looked a bit nervous, with a reassuring look. "Allow me to explain. A Pokemon Training License, or put simply a Trainer License, is what allows you to legally train and battle with a party of Pokemon. Furthermore, it also allows you to catch Pokemon using PokeBalls. Basically, a Trainer License just proves that you understand how to treat Pokemon responsibly while battling."

"What do we have to do to get them?" asked Rose.

"Well, I have to oversee a battle between both of you," Maple explained. "There's no pressure to win. As long as you display that you understand how to treat Pokemon, I can give you a Trainer License whether you win or lose."

"Wow, perfect! Riley, let's do this! I've waited so long to have a Pokemon battle with you!" Rose asserted.

Riley accepted the challenge with the look in his eyes.

Maple put one of her gloved hands up to her mouth to hide her laugh. "You both sure are excited. Let's take it outside, shall we?"

"Let's go!" Rose pumped her fist.


	4. Qualifying for the Trainer's License!

All participating Trainers had arrived at the battlefield! Autumn breezes brushed through the air, carrying with them the scent of grass and leaves. Rose and Riley glared at each other with determination. At their feet, their Pokemon; Riley's new friend Burndillo, and Rose's new friend Elelel. The Pokemon glared at each other just like their Trainers glared at each other.

"As is the standard, the battle concludes when all of one Trainer's Pokemon are no longer able to battle," Professor Maple explained. "Win or lose, if you display your understanding of proper Pokemon treatment in battle, I will happily give both of you your Trainer Licenses."

"We've been aching to battle each other with our own Pokemon since we were little kids, Riley!" Rose shouted, excited. "So make this battle worth the wait! I bet I'll beat you right off your feet!"

Riley stood behind Burndillo. He pressed his feet into the pavement. The cute, tiny Pokemon at his feet toddled on its round shell. Then it occurred to him; he didn't actually know how to tell what moves his Pokemon could use.

Professor Maple noticed Riley's worry, and commented, "Burndillo knows Tackle and Bite at this point." She smiled, "Don't worry, as you get more experience, you'll naturally learn how to tell the moves of a Pokemon that you've befriended."

"Ooh, can you tell me what Elelel knows?" Rose asked.

"Elelel knows Tackle and Leer at this point, Rose," Maple responded.

"Thanks! Riley, you take the first move! I dare you!" challenged Rose.

Riley obliged. He looked into Burndillo's eyes, who looked back at him. Burndillo knew what to do before Riley even had to say anything. It rolled up into a ball using its flexible stone-hard shell, and pushed off with its strong tail. This sent it rolling quickly towards Elelel, who took a preparatory stance!

Burndillo uncurled from its shell just in time to Tackle its opponent with striking force! Elelel was pushed back by the force of Burndillo's Tackle.

Cubbush, who was standing between Professor Maple's legs on the sidelines, winced.

"Elelel, counter with a Tackle!" Rose ordered, pumping her fist excitedly.

Elelel obeyed the order! It dashed through the air towards Burndillo, tucking back its head and pushing out the sharp nose of its skull-shaped helmet! It hit Burndillo's shell, leaving a scrape, but clearly it didn't do as much damage as Rose would have wished.

"It's okay, Elelel! Don't get discouraged! Use Tackle again!" Rose cheered.

Elelel smiled at the encouragement, and used Tackle on Burndillo once again! This time, it managed to Tackle into the opposing Burndillo's chest! Burndillo squeaked in pain, but its determined look didn't fade. It looked back to the silent Riley for further instruction.

Riley nodded. Burndillo knew what it meant. Using its tail to spring it forward, it thrust its neck out in front of it! Using the momentum from its tail push, it launched itself at Elelel! It bit into the Elelel's side with a sharp Bite attack!

Elelel yelped, and swung its body around. Burndillo was flung off, but luckily its round shell protected its back as it fell to the ground! Elelel came dashing for it, ready to attack again, but it rolled out of the way, then used its shell to bound into Elelel with another Tackle!

Elelel fell on its stomach, dazed from the impact.

"The battle concludes!" Professor Maple determined, throwing up her hands. "Elelel is unable to battle, meaning the winner is Burndillo!"

Rose sighed, her shoulders tense. "Well... fine... it's both of our first battle, I guess one of us had to lose… Don't let it get to your head, Riley." She noticed Riley looking at her with a perfectly humble expression. "What?" she snarked. "I'm not salty at all! Want me to show you how un-salty I am?"

Riley chuckled. Burndillo rolled up to its Trainer's feet, and squeaked proudly. With a big smile, Riley knelt down and pet the Pokemon's bristly short beige fur.

"Here," Professor Maple smiled as she knelt down. She pulled out a strange-looking yellow medicine and a Potion bottle. She put the yellow medicine into Elelel's mouth and it immediately got back up, as if it hadn't even been knocked out. "It's a Revive," she explained. Then, she used the Potion to return the eel Pokemon to its peak health, healing all the bruises it had picked up from the battle.

"Cub-bub!" Cubbush said in congratulations.

"You did well, Elelel. Thanks, even if we lost," Rose thanked, though she didn't look at Elelel as she thanked it.

"L'el," Elelel chittered.

"Well, I think you've both displayed great Pokemon-Training potential, don't you?" Maple's smile was wide.

"Hmph…" Rose grunted.

Maple went back into her lab momentarily, before returning with two plastic cards. "These are your official Pokemon Training Licenses! Isn't it exciting?"

Rose couldn't help but gaze in excitement at the licenses. One of those cards meant that she was officially a Pokemon Trainer!

Riley had a similar reaction! He hopped on his heels, unable to contain his excitement at finally being about to become a Trainer!

Maple handed the cards to their respective recipients.

"Ho boy!" Rose gasped. "I-I'm a real Pokemon Trainer now! Look at that!"

Riley grinned and held his Trainer License close to his chest, before stowing it away safely in his bag. Luckily, his bag had a slot perfectly made to insert a Trainer License into.

"Oh, but before you guys leave, I have a few more things to discuss with you. Come inside," Professor Maple instructed.

Riley and Rose both followed Angelique Maple back into the Maple Labs building.

"No need to follow me into my office. Please, just take a seat on that couch over there, if you will" Maple offered, waving as she went into her office and came out with even more surprises.

"M-more stuff?" Rose asked.

""Well, I doubt I have anything left to give you that's better than a Pokemon!" Maple chuckled. "But, I think you'll appreciate it nevertheless." She nodded. "Starting with this." She held up a small metal device. She pressed a button on the small device and a holographic screen projected out from it. "This is pretty essential. It's a Map of Chinocko. But not just any old map, a Holo-Map."

"What makes it so special?" Rose asked. "Other than that it's holographic?"

"This map has many displays that regular maps don't. It updates itself in real time to show you information about the areas around you, such as which Pokemon can be found there, which direction you're headed to your next destination, or the weather."

"Wow, cool," Rose admitted.

Maple handed a Holo-Map to Riley, then one to Rose. "I've got one more thing for both of you."

"Wait, even more?"

"Well, this one's mostly because you'll be helping me with my work," the Professor of Pokemon explained. She pulled two more things. Two small red electronic devices with PokeBall designs on them. "These are PokeDexes," she began. "They're capable of recording and relaying information on all types of Pokemon!"

"I see…" Rose said.

"Cool, huh?" said Professor Maple. "But, I'm not giving them to you guys as mere toys, understand?"

"What?" Rose questioned.

"As you both know, my field of expertise as a Pokemon Professor revolves around Pokemon Habitat Conservation," Maple began. "So, I have a job for both of you. I have a feeling you'll think of it as more fun than work, though!"

"Oh?" Rose asked. "What's our job, then?"

"I want you to explore and encounter all kinds of Pokemon throughout the Chinocko region, and use the PokeDex to record information on them! That way, I can use that information to further my research into how best to approach the conservation of the habitats and lifestyles of the wide range of Pokemon found here in Chinocko," explained the Professor.

"I guess I'm down," Rose replied. "Riley?"

He grinned and nodded back with gusto.

"Great! Then, here are your PokeDexes! Go make me proud!" With that, Professor Maple handed one of the two red devices to either of the children. "That's all I have for you."

"Thanks, Professor," Rose said with a slight smile. "Well, I'm gonna go home."

"Have a good rest of your day, both of you," Maple said walking them to the door and waving them off.

* * *

"So, are you gonna be taking on the Pokemon League now that you have a Pokemon, Riley?" Rose asked while they were walking back toward the end of town where they both lived. "You know that the Pokemon League is, right?"

Riley looked back at her. He knew all about it through watching Gym Battles broadcasted on television. He wanted to challenge the Gyms, and earn Gym Badges, and reach the Championship! He nodded, confirming his answer to both of Rose's questions.

"I wasn't gonna let you say no," Rose smirked. "I need someone to compare my progress to to make myself feel better."

Riley narrowed his expression.

"Heh… Well, you better rest up, and tell your Dad you're gonna be leaving for the road soon, then," Rose suggested.

Riley was still a bit upset, but it was a good suggestion. He waved goodbye to Rose and they went their separate ways.

* * *

Riley arrived home to an excited Pupsky. He say his stuff down next to the door and went to rest on the couch, where he saw his father was also sitting. There was a Pokemon documentary on the television. His father loved to watch Pokemon documentaries almost as much as Riley loved to watch televised Pokemon battles. This particular Pokemon documentary was about the Pokemon Gogoat, and how it used teamwork to deter a hungry-looking Lynk from attacking its herd.

"Oh! Riley!" his father greeted as Riley walked in. "Welcome back! How was volunteering at Maple's?"

Riley explained everything that happened that day.

"Whoa… Burndillo is super rare, and Maple just gave you one for free!?" his Dad gasped. It was a good thing he didn't have any of the tea he was drinking in his mouth at that moment, or it would have gone everywhere.

Riley nodded.

"Well? Lemme see 'im!" his Dad insisted.

Riley let Burndillo out from its PokeBall. It looked around. Pupsky ran up to it to greet it, which caused it to fall backwards in surprise. It teetered on its round shell a couple times, before using its long armoured tail to bring itself back to its feet.

"Pu-rup!" Pupsky barked, lowering its stance and wagging its tail.

"B-Burndo?" Burndillo said questioningly, reaching out with one of its small paws to touch Pupsky.

"Bark!" Pupsky barked again, and licked it.

Burndillo silently smiled at its new friend.

"Isn't he a charming little fellow?" Riley's Dad commented. "Reminds me a bit o' you, 'eh?"

Riley thought about it… It was often said that Pokemon take after their Trainers, but Burndillo and himself had only just met. Were they really so similar?

This was a perfect opportunity for something, he thought. He pointed his PokeDex's scanner at Burndillo. Momentarily, a bunch of information, along with an image of the Pokemon, appeared on the holographically-projected screen of the PokeDex! It recited the information out loud.

"Burndillo," the PokeDex recited. "The Small Ember Pokemon. Type: Fire. Burndillo typically roll around as main method of locomotion. Their armoured tails are the strongest parts of their bodies, and they often use them to propel themselves while rolled up. Their thick shells contain lava."

"Fascinating!" Dad commented. "Pokemon are so cool!"

Riley couldn't agree more!

"So, you're going to try your hand at the Pokemon League, I take it?" his Dad asked, sounding excited.

Riley nodded.

"I'm so proud of you…" his Dad sighed. "You should get some good rest in before you set out… I bet it's going to be a long journey for you."


	5. The First Steps of a Grand Journey!

Once again, Pupsky awoke Riley by jumping up onto his bed with him as the crisp autumn morning wind sent a rustle through his curtains. Riley rubbed his eyes, but he was up and dressed in a flash. It was his big day! The very first day of his exciting adventure as a Pokemon Trainer! The TV was still on last night… he must have fallen asleep while watching it.

He remembered watching an adrenaline-packed match between a Trainer and the well-known Champion of Chinocko, Amar. It wasn't a live match, but it was no less exciting than one! Amar's power as a Pokemon Trainer was not to be taken lightly. His hard face showed the fiercity with which he battled, knocking out even the strongest of opposing Pokemon with no mercy! Riley must have fallen asleep partway through… Someday, he would face the Champion... But today, he still needed to get his first Badge. But which Badge would be go after? He remembered there being a Pokemon Gym in Sherrow City! The Gym Leader's name was Braise and he was known for being incredibly strong, yet honourable in the way of fair Pokemon Battling. It was only a couple of towns to the east of New Moon, so it seemed like a good place to start! Riley grabbed Burndillo's PokeBall off of his dresser and ran down the stairs! Pupsky simply couldn't catch up!

To his surprise, his Dad was already awake, and sitting in his favourite spot, the coffee table. He had a steaming cup of coffee between his hands as he played a board game with a Machop sat across from him.

"Chop-chop!" the Machop cheered as it rolled the dice onto the board.

"Oh, Riley," Dad greeted as he noticed his son coming down the stairs. "Good morning. You must have rested well. Just look at all that energy inside you! It almost looks like you could Burst!"

"Chop!" the Machop shouted, jumping up and striking a bodybuilding pose at the mention of 'Burst.'

Riley chuckled. What a niche joke. He still got it, though. He explained his plans to his father.

"Oh, so you're going to head out and look for a Gym to challenge, 'eh?" his Dad inquired. "The nearest one is to the east, in Sherrow City."

Riley told his Dad that he already knew that.

"Okay, but… is that really the best place to start your Gym Badge collection?" his Dad asked, sucking in an unsure breath that sounded like a slight hiss.

Riley pumped his fist, showing his fighting determination!

His Dad chuckled. "Well, okay, Riley." Suddenly, Dad remembered something. "You remind me of myself, when I was your age and going on my own Pokemon adventure." Dad turned to Machop. "Remember those days, buddy?"

Machop's smile grew wide in reminiscence.

"Oh! If you're going to be challenging the Chinocko League, you'll need a Badge Case!" Riley's father excitedly shouted.

Riley wasn't sure what his Dad was talking about.

"Hold on just a moment," his dad instructed. He left for a moment, before coming back with something in hand. It was a small book-shaped case, with a leather surface on either side, and worn wood on the edges. There was a golden PokeBall-shaped buckle that held it closed. Riley's dad unclipped the buckle and opened the case. Inside was a foamy surface with weirdly-shaped holes in it. "It's the Badge Case I used when I was going on my Pokemon adventure," his dad explained. "I'm not gonna use it any time soon. Have it."

Riley looked up at his Dad. He gave his Dad a thankful nod.

He reached for the doorknob. Pupsky barked, running up to him! It whimpered as it pawed the ground near his feet.

"It looks like Pupsky wants to go on this adventure with you, Riley," his Dad noticed, smiling.

Riley smiled down at Pupsky... He looked over to his father.

"Who am I to say no to Pupsky?" Dad chuckled. "Go ahead. Here's his PokeBall." Dad tossed Riley Pupsky's PokeBall, and Riley sent Pupsky into it!

Finally, he was out the door, and about to take his first steps on his very own Pokemon journey. He never could have ever predicted the fantastical things he would come to see or the diverse people he would come to meet.

* * *

As Riley walked over towards the gate that led to Route 3, he noticed two people standing there. "Hey, Slowpoke!" That was Rose's voice.

He walked up, wondering what they were doing there.

"Good morning, Riley," greeted Maple. "I'm glad that you're here. We were about to stop at your house, but it looks like we won't have to."

Riley inquired.

"I have an important meeting to go to in Sherrow City," Maple explained. "Actually… if you come, I think there may be something in it for you. Plus, the road through Torutara Town and Sherrow City has lots of fairly docile Pokemon on it, which I thought would be good for you to start your journey with."

That was indeed good insight. Riley hadn't really stopped to consider that Burndillo wasn't really very experienced… Plus, something in it for him? How could he refuse! He was planning to go that way anyway! He agreed to tag along.

Maple turned to the third person in the group. It was the same girl of colour with the fluffy black hair and the Rotom hairpin. The girl shyly smiled and waved at Riley. "Have you been acquainted with Akili yet?" Maple asked.

Riley shook his head, causing his hair to ruffle in the autumn breeze.

"Well then! This is Akili. She's my assistant!" Maple excitedly introduced. "And Akili, this is Riley, one of the two youngsters I gave a Pokemon to."

"Maple must really trust you to give you an endangered Pokemon to take care of!" Akili commented. "I suppose, then, that I ought to give you the same trust. Don't let Burndillo down!" Akili extended her arm for a handshake.

Riley completed the handshake. He was eyeing the Rotom hairpin, the shiny red surface of which stood out in Akili's black hair.

"Oh, that?" she chuckled, noticing Riley's gaze. "Rotom is my favourite Pokemon. It's so cool how it can use the electricity in its body to take over electronics! There were two new types of electronics which Rotom were found to be able to possess, which were just discovered recently! Oh, it's so exciting to me!"

Riley chuckled. She certainly seemed excited.

Maple stepped in once again. "We really ought to get going. We'll be stopping in at Torutara Town's Pokemon Center for some food. Meet us there, if you'd like. Okay, Riley?"

Riley nodded. Maple and Akili walked ahead at a reasonable pace. Rose smirked as she turned to Riley. "I'll meet you there, Slowpoke! I'll get the Gym Badge first, too!" With that, she ran ahead, passing Akili and Angelique on her way.

Riley decided to proceed at his own pace though. He smelled the scent of the autumn leaves under his feet as he proceeded along the snowy Route 3.

* * *

There was a white picket fence on either side of the grassy, leafy route, and a handful of matching benches. There were five white wooden benches, three of which were in use by Trainers, and one of which was in use by a wild Pokemon! There was a small, fluffy Pokemon sitting on the bench. It had soft, dull-brown fur and a diamond-shaped patch of white around its eye. Furthermore, there were a handful more diamond-shaped white patches of fur near the Pokemon's rear, close to its cottonball-like tail. Riley pointed his PokeDex at it.

The PokeDex began to relay information on the Pokemon. "Cottontuft. The Fluffy-Tailed Pokemon. Type: Normal. Cottontuft are very small Pokemon that live in small grounded dens, often in the side of small elevations. They have spots on their bodies that are the opposite colour of their fur during the year. They're very popular among beginner Pokemon Trainers."

Cottontuft, huh? It was a mighty cute Pokemon, Riley couldn't deny. Burndillo watched the Pokemon timidly. Riley looked down to his Pokemon friend. Burndillo looked up to its new Trainer. They both knew exactly what to do. Battle time!

Burndillo rolled into position, enough distance away from the Cottontuft on the bench so that it could dodge an oncoming attack, but not too far away that it wouldn't be able to go in for an attack of its own.

The Cottontuft managed to make the first move! It hopped around and faced away from Burndillo. It wiggled its tiny, stubby tail. Tiny tufts of cottony fur flew out from the small tail, distracting Burndillo for a moment. That move looked like Tail Whip, a move Riley had seen professional Trainers make their Pokemon use in broadcasted battles.

Burndillo looked back to Riley for a moment, who narrowed his eyes. Burndillo knew from the gesture what it should do. It curled up into its shell, then used its tail to propel itself forward and airborne!

It uncurled from its shell while in the air, then rammed its shoulder into the Cottontuft's soft side! The Cottontuft squeaked, then countered with a Bite using its surprisingly sharp front teeth! Burndillo landed on its back on the ground below the bench, but quickly flipped itself using its strong tail! A bit of hot lava bubbled out of a crack in its rocky shell.

It rolled back, making distance between itself and the Cottontuft! It reared its head, then fired a spew of flame out of its mouth! Riley was surprised to see that his Burndillo had already learned a new move! It had just used Ember, a Fire-type move!

The Ember hit the Cottontuft, singing its cottony fur. The tiny wild Pokemon looked tired as it hopped away, off the bench, under the fence and into the wilderness. Riley felt kind of bad, but he looked down at Burndillo, whose victory made it proud, and he felt better.

"You're Riley, right?" someone asked. It was one of the Trainers who was sitting on one of the other benches along the long, straight route. Riley turned to face the voice. It belonged to someone even younger than himself. "It's me, Andrew, your neighbour."

Riley somewhat remembered the name, but remembered the kid's young, soft face more. He'd always just known this kid as Youngster, which is what everyone else in town called him. So he would be called Youngster Andrew, Riley thought.

"You're a Trainer now! I bet it must be mega-cool!" Youngster Andrew noted. "Please battle me and my Cottontuft, too! Your battle with that wild one was just so cool!"

Riley, as a Trainer, couldn't refuse a challenge! He agreed. He sent out Pupsky this time. From living with Pupsky, he'd come to know that it knew two moves. Scratch was the first move it knew, and the other was Bite.

Pupsky landed on the ground after being sent out of its PokeBall. It pawed the ground excitedly with its little white paws, looking around. It noticed the Trainer across from it, and the Cottontuft that the Trainer had summoned, and it puppy-howled with excitement. It was its very first battle alongside Riley! Its tail wagged rapidly.

"Cottontuft, use Bite!" Andrew commanded. The Cottontuft, this one a bit darker in colour and its diamond spots more of a gray, hopped over to Pupsky with its cute little springy legs, and attempted to Bite the canine Pokemon. However, Pupsky used its small but strong paw to pin down the Cottontuft's head. Evidently, the Bite was a failure. Pupsky used Scratch on the Cottontuft, leaving a scratch mark on its butt. The Pokemon attempted a Bite again, and this time it managed to get its teeth into Pupsky's leg. Pupsky yelped, and shook off the Cottontuft. It ran over to where the Cottontuft landed, and used Bite, biting it on its wide, furry back. The Cottontuft, exhausted, fell over onto its side, seemingly asleep.

"Aww man…" sighed Youngster Andrew. "Wow, that was cool! Thanks for the battle!"

Riley smiled. Pupsky came running back to him, and he patted the Pokemon's fluffy neck. He sent it back into its PokeBall and continued walking down Route 3. Although the route was long, it was straight, and he could see the ranch-style gate into Torutara Town from here.

Adjusting his flannel sweater's collar, he continued down the long route with a confident expression. His next challenger was a young lady with a red skirt. "Oh, hello, fellow Trainer!" she greeted, waving. She had a purse, and the purse was shaped like a Pikachu's round face. Riley waved. "Would you care for a battle, or maybe a cookie?" the young lady asked.

Both sounded nice, but Riley was mostly here to battle and get stronger in preparation for going up against the intimidating Chinocko Pokemon League!

"One battle! Is that all for you?" she asked. "With pleasure! Name's Marie, by the way, if you care. They call me Marie the Lass. Dunno why, really." Marie had very fair skin and light blonde hair, with soft blue eyes, and her outfit did look very lass-like to match her elegant face. She pulled out a PokeBall from her Pikachu purse and threw it out in front of her. Out from it popped a new Pokemon! It was a tiny insectoid Pokemon. It was small, had a round head, tiny mandibles, and its body pattern almost looked like it was wearing a sweater, complete with a woven hood and two little silky drawstrings. Concealpillar hid shyly behind the hood of its sweater. "Concealpillar, please help me deliver a battle for this kind Trainer!"

Riley assumed that the Concealpillar must be Bug-type, so he sent out Burndillo, whose Ember move would have an advantage.

Burndillo's rocky shell was glowing from the lava inside it, and the Pokemon looked particularly determined!

Concealpillar looked like a bit of a clumsy Pokemon, but for an insect, it had a cute charm to it. It started the battle with a String Shot, producing a long string of insect silk from its mouth, which was shot with force at Burndillo! The lava from Burndillo's shell melted some of the silk, but there was still enough silk on the rest of its body that it was slowed down a bit.

Burndillo used Ember, firing a blast of fire from its mouth and towards the Concealpillar! It hit the poor Bug Pokemon right in the face. Concealpillar squealed. "C-ceal!" It prepared another attack, ramming into Burndillo with its large round head in a Tackle! Burndillo used Tackle as a counterattack! It was enough to make Concealpillar unable to battle.

"Oh, for heck's sake!" the Lass groaned. "I so hate losing!" she shouted. "But, congratulations, kind Trainer. I hope you were pleased by that battle. Have this, you've earned it." Marie handed over a handful of reward money to Riley, since he'd won the battle.

He thanked her for the battle, and the reward money, and proceeded onward. The Torutara Town arch was so close now. He looked to his side. There was a gate there, built into the white picket fence that outlined the route. Riley knew from experience that there was a Berry farm through that gate, but evidently the gate was locked. He proceeded through the arched, worn wooden gate that led into the town.


	6. The Knowledge-Hungry Team Delta

Torutara Town was notably quite a small town. In fact, it was possibly ever slightly smaller than New Moon Town. Riley had been here before with his dad, though the town seemed so different without the bustling public market being open. Though Torutara Town was small, it was a rather busy town thanks to the popularity of the public market, so a Pokemon Centre had been installed in the middle of town. The town was notoriously S-shaped, with the homes forming their own wall around the town without the need for brick or stones like in New Moon Town. There was a tightly-knit cul de sac near the entrance of the town, a long winding road leading north, and in the northernmost area of town was the Torutara Well, which was considerably less flashy than New Moon Town's Central Fountain, but also probably more useful in the long-run.

Maple, Akili and Rose were already waiting in town, chatting and standing outside the Pokemon Centre. "Oh, Riley," Maple noted. "Over here!" she called.

Riley went over, standing, as there were no more open spaces on the bench.

"How was your walk through the first route of your journey?" Maple inquired.

Riley responded, saying it was nice, and that he'd gone up against Trainers and even a wild Pokemon.

"I'm glad to see you're getting the hang of the Trainer lifestyle so quickly!" Maple smiled. "This is a Pokemon Centre that we're sitting outside of, but I'm sure you know that already. You can heal your Pokemon here, or buy items for your travels. There's even a P.C. system inside where you can keep Pokemon that you've caught but don't have room for on your team."

All of that information was indeed interesting, even if Riley was already aware.

"They even have a Chinoughnut Champion inside of some Pokemon Centres!" Maple continued.

Riley's face lit up at the mention of Chinoughnut Champion.

"You should go inside and familiarize yourself with Pokemon Centre facilities," she suggested. "After all, as a Trainer, you'll be stopping at Pokemon Centres frequently, you know."

Riley decided that that was probably a good idea. He followed Maple, Akili and Rose into the Pokemon Centre. The maroon-roofed building had sliding glass doors which opened automatically when they approached them.

Inside of the Pokemon Centre, there was plenty of natural light coming in from the large, curved exterior windows. There were also bright fluorescent lights overhead too, though. In the very middle of the Pokemon Centre was the iconic curved nurse's counter. One of the nurses stood behind the desk, happily ready to heal some Pokemon. To the right, there was a PokeMart counter, as well. There was a waiting area as well, with comfortable-looking seats. To the left was a staircase which led to the loft floor. On the loft floor was the location of the built-in Chinoughnut Champion, complete with tables and chairs to eat at. Riley was immediately tempted to go there, but he decided that one fresh Chinoughnut to go, the one his father had given him, would probably tide him over for the time.

He stepped forward, where the pink-haired nurse greeted him. Her uniform's white was straight and reached to about her knees, with a pink seam running slightly off to one side. Underneath it she had black leggings. She had soft features, and her ponytail had an impressively tight spiral to it. "May I take your Pokemon for a few minutes, and bring them back to full health?" she offered. Riley handed over his Pokemon's PokeBalls to the Pokemon Centre nurse, who took them with gloved hands and brought them over to a high-tech machine with slots in it perfectly sized to fit one PokeBall each. While his Pokemon were being healed, he decided to check out the PokeMart. There was a kind-looking worker sitting at the counter. As much as they looked kind, they looked incredibly bored, with their head held up by one hand as they leaned on the surface of the counter. She perked up at the sight of a customer. "Welcome!" she called. "What can I get for you?"

Riley looked through the catalogue of items that was projected on a touch screen that was built into the PokeMart counter.

"Oh, wait, before you order anything, take this," the cashier insisted, handing Riley a small thin-metal card. "It's a promotional card. Open it and see if you won anything."

Riley couldn't refuse a free prize. He pressed a flat button on the card, and it split in half. A holographic screen appeared in the middle of the two halves. There was a message on the holographic projection, which said, "You're a winner! Prize: Five (5) Free Regular PokeBalls."

"Ooh, you won! What'd you win?" the cashier nosily asked, peering her head over the counter to look at the holographic screen. "Wow, free PokeBalls! And five of them, at that!" She went into the back of the store and gathered the five PokeBalls that Riley had won, and handed them to him after scanning them through the cash register as prizes. "Exciting! So, can I get you anything else?"

Riley continued to scroll through the catalogue, noticing some items were grayed out, for whatever reason. He predicted that buying another Potion would probably be a smart move. Besides, it would be awkward to win a prize and not buy anything.

He ordered the singular extra Potion, which the cashier retrieved for Riley. After the transaction, there was an announcement over the speakers. "A message for Riley, your Pokemon are now healed. Please come retrieve them from the front counter."

"Thanks for your business," the cashier waved. "Please, come again."

Riley retrieved Pupsky and Burndillo from the nurse, then upstairs to the Chinoughnut Champion where Rose, Akili, and Professor Maple were seated, having thoroughly familiarized himself with the Pokemon Centre's services.

"So, your Pokemon all good?" Rose asked.

Riley nodded.

"Did they get a good beating from those Trainers on Route 3?" she teased.

Riley shrugged his shoulders. They had taken damage, but they hadn't really gotten a 'beating'.

Rose's expression flattened. "Hmph. Well, neither did mine."

"So," Maple began, interjecting. "The path to Sherrow City is through the Tempris Woods, which is the largest temperate rainforest in Chinocko. Thankfully, the actual path through to Sherrow is rather short, but try not to go off the path and get lost, okay?" she insisted.

"Right. Catch up, Slowpoke!" Rose exclaimed, and ran out of the Pokemon Centre without waiting for anyone else.

"Oh boy," Maple chuckled. "She sure does get excited. But she overestimates her abilities, too… I wonder if someone as excitable as Rose is safe on a Pokemon journey. You know, Riley?"

As much as he hated to admit it, Maple had a point. Pokemon journeys required patience and extreme rationality. Both things Rose didn't exactly have. But, then again, did Riley even have those things? He sighed.

"I'll try and catch up to her and make sure she doesn't get into trouble, all right?" Maple explained. "You can go at your own pace." With that, she and Akili followed Rose's path and headed north down the road. Riley watched her leave, as her cropped blazer ruffled a bit from her speed-walking. Looking down at the Holo-Map for a moment, he figured out the path that he would need to take to get to Sherrow City. He charted it out using the Holo-Map's 'Path' feature, and began following the red line that had appeared on the map. Onward, to Tempris Woods!

* * *

The entrance of Tempris Woods was, well, woodsy. The stones that made up the road of Torutara Town had been consumed by grass and roots, and foliage extended from the woods into the plaza, blurring the line of where the town ended and the forest began.

But, Riley was now in Tempris Woods, which was where he needed to be. Based on the map, there was a straight path through half of the southern woods, which turned slightly windy after passing by a stream. On the other side of the woods was Sherrow City, which was the objective location. He proceeded forward. He immediately noticed how tall the grass was. It went up to his knees. He had heard lots of stories of wild Pokemon jumping out of tall grass and attacking people. He prepared Pupsky's PokeBall, just in case.

He proceeded down the relatively straight, but undoubtedly grassy path. How far ahead could Rose and the others possibly have gotten ahead? It didn't seem like he'd waited behind that long, but it did seem like Rose the others were already at Sherrow City.

Then, a Pokemon jumped out from the grass! But, Riley was ready! He threw out Pupsky's PokeBall before the wild Pokemon could even fully show itself!

The Pokemon had a long, sleek body and yellow fur! Some parts of its body, like its chest, face, and paws, were white or brown instead. It had charming eyebrows that were shaped like lightning bolts, and it bounced stiffly, yet still elegantly back and forth as if imitating an electrical surge.

"Z-zap!" it cried.

Before sending Pupsky to attack it, Riley used his PokeDex to scan it.

"Faraten," it explained. "The Long-Bodied Pokemon. Type: Normal and Electric. Faraten are known to jitter as they move. This is because of electrical currents that run through their systems. They are skilled hunters, because they use their electrically-charged, unpredictable movements to disorient their small prey."

Interesting, Riley thought. Pupsky was up! Riley had Pupsky use Bite. Pupsky ran up to the Faraten. However, it missed its chance to attack, as it could not predict where the Faraten would be in time to attack it.

Faraten charged its body with a field of electricity! It looked to be preparing to use Spark! It dashed forward toward Pupsky! As the electricity enveloped it,covering it in a veil of yellow sparks, its fast movement made it look like a legitimate lightning bolt!

Pupsky couldn't tell what to do fast enough, not that it had much time at all, and was hit by Spark! It wobbled for a moment, disoriented by the electricity in its body. Riley held out, grinding his teeth in hopes that Pupsky wouldn't be Paralyzed by the electricity. Thankfully, Pupsky shook it off. Though, its fluffy fur stood comically on end.

It ran up to Faraten, with even more vigor this time, and slashed its claws at the mustelidae Pokemon! It successfully landed a Scratch! And right on the Faraten's stomach, no less! No doubt, that was a critical hit! Faraten fell to the ground, weakened, but evidently not unable to continue battling!

Riley thought about what to do. It was only a matter of time- and not much of it- before Faraten was its sparky self again! He reached into his bag! He pulled out one of the empty PokeBalls he'd gotten from the PokeMart! He threw it! As it flew through the air, he shut his eyes tight in anticipation, not sure if his aims was good enough for the PokeBall to hit the nimble Faraten! But, the satisfying sound of it opening for the first time told Riley he had hit the Pokemon with the PokeBall!

He ran over to it. He watched it wiggle, as the button on the front flashed red in response to the captured Pokemon trying to escape.

1… 2… 3… and… caught it! Faraten was now a member of Riley's team! Riley had caught a Pokemon for his first time! He gave the PokeBall a little pat. He took out one of the two Potions in his bag, and pressed the nozzle to the button on the PokeBall. He pulled the spray trigger on the Potion, and the sprayable medicine was funneled into the PokeBall, healing the Faraten inside. Riley hoped that Faraten was comfortable in there.

He proceeded onward. Thankfully, no more Pokemon bothered him. Then, he noticed a strange occurrence. There was a soft multi-coloured light coming a spot on the path. The thick shrubbery of the woods seemed to grow around the light, as if offering it space. However, he also noticed that there were people standing in the way of the oddly-shaped path.

There were two people standing there. Riley approached them.

"Oh, hello," one of them, a girl, acknowledged. The other one was a boy, about the same age as her. They both appeared older than Riley, but both a fair bit younger-looking than Professor Maple.

Both of them wore matching outfits. They almost looked like hikers. The girl wore a pair of black jeans that bunched up slightly at her ankles. Her feet were packed into comfy-looking gray hiking boots. She also wore a dark gray tank top, underneath a thick gray jacket, the same shade as her boots. The jacket added a lot to her silhouette. Namely, it added an air of strength due to its widening of her shoulders. Riley noticed a golden symbol on the chest of the jacket, which was the same as the one on her belt buckle. It looked like an acute triangle, but the bottom line and the line on the left side didn't meet fully. One end of the triangle symbol had what looked like a hook on it, which didn't connect to the other end. Some kind of logo, Riley thought.

The boy wore a similar outfit. A pair of black jeans, gray hiking boots, and a thick jacket with the same golden symbol on the chest. Although his jacket was closed, and he was wearing a hiking cap with the same golden symbol on it.

Both of them had a watch-looking device woven through belt loops on the end of one sleeve. Riley's flannel overshirt had the same belt loops on it, though he had no such device.

Riley waved in acknowledgement.

"Can we help you?" the girl asked.

"Oh, I get it, you want us to move," the boy chimed in. "Eh, sorry. No can do. We're busy."

Riley asked what with.

"We're members of Team Delta," the girl explained. "This area has a lot of Burst Energy coming from it. We were sent to survey the area so that we can use our research to protect the local Pokemon."

"Uh-huh," added the boy. "What she said."

Riley asked if he could just sneak past them quickly.

"Sorry, we have orders to perform a thorough survey of the Burst Point and the surrounding wooded area," the girl continued. "You understand, don't you?"

Riley tried to tell them that he was with Professor Maple, who had come through earlier.

"That's nice," the girl sighed. "Look, I'm sorry, but I just can't let you through. We won't be done for a while."

Riley sighed, and pulled a PokeBall out of his bag.

"Yo, this kid wants a battle," the boy smirked.

"Ugh, really?" the girl groaned. "You're going to battle us? Just so you can get through here? You're disturbing our important work. But fine, I guess I have to now."

"All right, let's go, Cottontuft!" the male Team Delta member summoned, sending out a Cottontuft like the ones before!

"Tuffut!"it chittered.

"You too, Faraten! Go!" the female Team Delta member called as she sent out a Faraten like Riley's.

Riley sent out his own just-caught Faraten, and also his Pupsky. The opposing Faraten made the first move! It opened with a Quick Attack! With its already-fast movement, it was almost no more than a blur of yellow as it rushed towards Pupsky! However, as if by a miracle, Pupsky dodged, jumping to the side! Pupsky used Bite on the Faraten which had attacked it, and bit into its side. It used its strong jaws to lift up the Pokemon, then used Scratch on it! The Faraten coated itself in sparks of electricity, forcing Pupsky to let it go! Meanwhile, Riley's own Faraten went over to attack the Cottontuft! It charged at the Cottontuft, using Spark to charge itself with electric power before it made contact!

The Cottontuft flew back, but its Trainer caught it! Gently, the Team Delta member put the tiny Pokemon back on the ground, and patted its rear to encourage it to go back into battle. It did, hopping with confidence back into battle. Although, it seemed to move slowly, as if inflicted with Paralysis from Faraten's attack!

It launched a small flurry of weak snowflakes in Riley's Faraten's direction! It hit Faraten! But what move was it? "Nice Powder Snow, Cottontuft! Keep it up!" the male Trainer encouraged. Cottontuft smiled at the encouragement.

Riley's Faraten shivered. Riley noticed it moving more slowly. There was some frost on its furry body, but thankfully it wasn't completely Frozen.

Pupsky jumped out of the way of a Discharge attack from the opposing Faraten, and then jumped in to deliver another Bite! It was a hit! The opposing Faraten fainted.

"Good work, Faraten! You tried your best!" its Trainer called to it as she returned it to its PokeBall. "Take over for Faraten, Lumbeaver!"

The Team Delta girl sent out another Pokemon. It was a fat Pokemon with stubby arms and legs and four paws. It had a wide, very wide tail and two long teeth that protruded from its mouth. It had a small twig in its paws, which it munched on occasionally. It had a single leaf growing out of its strange-shaped tail, and a little toque made of its own fur on its head.

"Beav! Lumbeav!" it shouted, through chewing on the bark from its twig. It patted the ground with its tail.

Riley pointed his PokeDex at the Pokemon to find out which one it was.

The PokeDex began to speak. "Lumbeaver. The Beaver Pokemon. Type: Normal and Grass. Lumbeaver have sharp teeth which make them especially good at carving things from wood. Their large, flat tails allow them to pat mud into place, which allows them to build structures from sticks and mud. They build dams in rivers to catch fish to eat."

What a crafty little Pokemon, Riley thought. For a second, he thought about throwing a PokeBall at it. But then, he remembered that it already had a Trainer.

Faraten shook off the frost from its fur, then pounced on top of the Cottontuft's back! It electrified its fangs. Cottontuft tried to attack, but the electricity inside it made its muscles tense, and it was unable to execute the move! Faraten bit into Cottontuft's back with a Thunder Fang, causing it to faint!

"I-I'm out of usable Pokemon!" gasped the Cottontuft's Trainer. "Without the help of my Cottontuft, how can I effectively survey the southern woods? I really wasn't expecting to lose…" he sighed.

"I'll take care of this!" the girl claimed. "Lumbeaver, use Bite!"

Lumbeaver thumped over to Pupsky and used Bite, digging its wood-carving teeth into Pupsky's chest. Pupsky yelped, and swatted at Lumbeaver with a Scratch! Lumbeaver stumbled backward! Pupsky took the opportunity to Bite Lumbeaver back! Lumbeaver had protected itself, though. Pupsky's jaws bit down, only to hit a strong invisible forcefield that had been erected around it! Pupsky whimpered and hid its muzzle underneath its paws, its teeth hurting.

"Good job using Protect, Lumbeaver! Smart thinking!" congratulated Lumbeaver's confident Trainer. "Use Protect again!"

Lumbeaver erected another forcefield to replace the one that Pupsky had attacked. Faraten ran in. It prepared to use Spark! Riley was confident he could win this!

He looked over to Pupsky. It whimpered, its muzzle in pain from biting into a Protect barrier. He turned his focus back to Faraten, who was charging at Lumbeaver, even though it had used Protect!

Faraten made contact with the Protect barrier! However, it shattered with no resistance!

"No! Lumbeaver!" its Trainer called. "I'm sorry that you Protect failed! Don't get discouraged!"

Faraten hit Lumbeaver with its Spark move, landing the hit right on Lumbeaver's stomach! The Pokemon got winded and fainted.

"Wow…" the girl from Team Delta gasped, stumbling back. "Fine… begrudgingly, you may pass. I'll even give you reward money."

"You're pretty strong, kid, but I'm still mad about this," the boy scoffed. He shut his eyes tight and dropped the reward money into Riley's palm while facing away. The girl did the same, though she glared into Riley's eyes while doing it.

The girl let Lumbeaver back into its PokeBall. "Good job, guys. You did your best. We'll get stronger. Ahem," she turned to face Riley, who had already begun walking away through the path. "You. Just… don't disturb the wild Pokemon. It will mess with our data. We need this data to preserve the ideal habitat for the Pokemon that live here."


	7. A Meeting in Sherrow City

Riley had to admit that whatever that rainbow-coloured light he'd seen… Burst Energy? Burst Power? Burst-something, whatever it was… it sure seemed cool and mysterious. However, he had no use for it, so he proceeded onward through the Tempris Woods, only occasionally paying it mind.

He found that there was a indeed a stream that ran alongside the path as it started to become winding. What he didn't expect was to see Pokemon Trainers riding on the backs of Pokemon inside the stream. On the other side of the stream, it looked like there was another path, but Riley had no way of crossing the stream anyway. He mentally noted it for later.

The winding path was full of tall grass, but in keeping to his agreement to the Team Delta people, he did his best to walk around the patches of tall grass, even when he heard rustling in them.

He saw a tall well-dressed woman up ahead. That must be Maple, he thought. He followed, all of his Pokemon safely in their PokeBalls.

Before he knew it, the forest had become not a town, but a fairly large city! There was a sign next to the path. It said "Welcome to Sherrow City, The Original Home of the Sky Rail!" He continued to walk forward. There was a short staircase leading to the raised concrete streets of Sherrow City. He heard a loud whoosh overhead and looked up. What he saw was a long, shiny skytrain zooming past him on the raised rails! That must be the aforementioned Sky Rail, he thought! Unlike Torutara Town, Sherrow City was an entirely new experience for him.

Looking at the Holo-Map, he looked into Sherrow City's notable spots. Of course, there were the Sky Rail Stations. There were three, which connected the three main sections of the city. The most popular one was the one outside of the Sherrow Arena, a nationally famous hockey arena where the famous Number 27, Braise, had played many home games, before retiring from hockey and entering a career in the Chinocko Pokemon League. There was, of course, a station outside of Sherrow City's Pokemon Centre, and one close to the exit to Torutara Town, which was where Riley currently stood. Sherrow City had a few streets of housing, and some notoriously tall apartments. Apparently, Sherrow City was the only city connecting the Southern Chinocko Subregion with the Osuyassa Desert Subregion. On the other side of the city was the Ragnoh Tunnel, a former mining tunnel that had been turned into a path between Sherrow City and the main Osuyassa Desert area.

In the center of the city, Riley could just barely see a metallic tree with metallic Berries hanging from its reflective branches. Apparently that was a location of one of Sherrow City's plazas. Riley knew Sherrow City wasn't anywhere close to the size of a place like Vancine City, but nevertheless it was intimidating to someone who had grown up in a tiny town like New Moon, which didn't even have its own Pokemon Centre. There was also a Cafe. Oh! And even a Clothing Store in the city, called Subregion's Edge! Riley wasn't quite tired of his outfit yet, but maybe he'd check it out. Oh, there was one more thing. Apparently, Sherrow City was the location of the Headquarters of the BurstPower company. BurstPower, with no space between the words…? Riley paid it no mind. It didn't concern him.

He began climbing up the steps to the tallest area of the city. At the top, he found the Sherrow Arena. Right near the Sherrow Arena was the Sherrow Gym, where Braise now trained as the Fighting-type Gym Leader of Chinocko. Riley ran up to the door of the Gym! This would be his first time challenging a Pokemon Gym, but he was more than stoked!

He expected the Pokemon Gym's glass doors to slide open for him, but they did not. Instead, a voice came out from a speaker near the entrance. "Sherrow City Gym is currently closed while Braise is Training his Pokemon. Please return later. Braise personally apologizes for an inconvenience."

Riley took a deep sigh. What a way for his mood to be ruined…

"Hey, Riley!" a shouting voice called. "Over here!"

He turned to face the direction the voice was coming from. It was Rose, sitting outside the cafe to the west of the Sherrow Stadium. She was accompanied by the familiar, soft face of Professor Maple, and the always-smiling face of Akili, whose red glasses were way too big for her face in an endearing way.

He looked back at the door to Sherrow City's Pokemon Gym. With a sigh, he turned away and walked towards his friends.

"We decided to wait outside for you so we could see you if you walked by," Maple explained. "Come inside."

The cafe was modernly decorated, with many wood tones and low-hanging lights over each of the tables. The chairs had soft cushions on them… Riley imagined he could sit there for hours and still be comfortable.

"So, Akili," the Professor began, "do you have the items with you?"

"Indeed I do, Professor!" Akili excitedly claimed. She hoisted a briefcase that she was carrying and laid it on the table. She opened it up, and pulled out a few small high-tech-looking devices that appeared to be imposed onto wristbands, like watches. "The newest model of the PokeVice, the Holo 2 model!" Akili proclaimed, as if introducing a friend.

Maple explained, "We've managed to acquire a few PokeVices for the lab's purposes!" She cheered for a moment. Recomposing herself, she continued, "These were designed in Malasarri City, which is a hub for holographic technology in Chinocko!"

Rose and Riley both looked a little bit confused.

"It's good that you two both agreed to come," Maple chuckled. "Allow me to explain. The PokeVice is a portable pseudo-cellular device with many capabilities, developed in Malasarri City! Its purpose: to provide advanced convenience to Pokemon Trainers and people who work with Pokemon in the Chinocko region. Now, Malasarri City is famous for its highly-advanced holographic technology, and the people working there generously sent us a few of the PokeVice Holo 2 for beta testing purposes, which is the name of the model you see before you!"

Both of the 'PokeVices' as they had been called by the Professor, were black, with a tiny shiny screen in the middle. There was a PokeBall-shaped button on the bottom edge of the small device, as well as some smaller unlabeled buttons on the sides.

"These are Malasarri's beta models," Akili explained. "They sent us the models, but Maple insisted we give them to you guys to test." Akili sighed, adding, "PokeVices are the best, I wish I had one…!"

"What?" Rose gasped, almost spitting out the beverage she had ordered onto the waterproof PokeVices. "Wow! That's, like… I don't even know what to say! Maple, you just keep giving us gifts!"

"Consider them work tools," chuckled the Professor. "You're going to be using these devices, along with the PokeDexes I gave you, to expand Maple Labs' knowledge on the conservation of the region's Pokemon, remember? I'm giving you these tools in order to complete that goal."

Akili reluctantly handed them over to the new Trainers, but not without looking them over with amazement in her eyes. "Here y'go," she smiled.

Rose immediately snatched hers out of Akili's hand, and turned on the screen without even putting it on her wrist. It turned on to show a sleek home menu, with some labeled apps on it. There were six apps on the home screen, and they were called PokeCache, PokeBuzz, PokeFlash, PokePlayer, and PokeTalk. The sixth one was grayed over, and didn't have a name underneath it.

"The PokeVice Holo 2 has lots of functions, huh?" Akili grinned as she explained passionately. "It lets you listen to music, it lets you see up-to-the-minute news updates, it lets you interact with PokeCaches, and even make phone calls- and video calls, too; holographic ones, even!"

"You're sure excited about it," Maple smiled.

"Heh, sorry!" Akili apologized. "I just am obsessed with how PokeVices work! Ooh, it even has a flashlight!"

Akili reached over and touched the PokeFlash app on Riley's PokeVice, which made a bright light cast from the front of the device. It beamed, and hit Professor Maple directly in the eyes. She covered her eyes and gasped, as if a Pokemon had used the move Flash on her.

"Careful!" she gasped.

Riley's cheeks grew paler. He attempted to apologize.

Rose and Akili simultaneously chuckled. Maple groaned.

"Just tap it again to turn it off," Akili instructed. Riley did so, and the flashlight deactivated. "And, uh, don't shine it directly towards people's faces," Akili chuckled, rubbing the back of her neck as her lip quivered.

"Well, you two," Maple said with finality, "thank you for coming. I think we're about ready to wrap up our meeting. You two can-" She paused as she was interrupted.

"Professor Angelique Maple?" someone asked. "Is it really you?"

"Oh, is that who I think it is?" Maple asked with a smile.

"Probably not," the person chuckled. "Unless you're thinking of the Gym Leader of Vancine City. Then maybe it is."

"Nalya!" Maple greeted. "How nice to see you here."

The person speaking was a woman, looking just ever slightly older than Professor Maple, who had a very eccentric outfit. She had long black hair, which was tied into a rather large, red-wine-coloured bow. A small lock of her hair hung down from her forehead, and curled back around to the back of her ear. Inside of her ear was a basic-looking square earring, a similar colour to her amber eyes. She had very stylish half-rim glasses on, which made her look very serious. Her eccentric outfit was made up of an earthy-green shirt with a star-shaped hole in the chest, which had long blue bell sleeves. Underneath all that, she wore gray capris and black flats.

"Hello to you too, Maple. I know we planned to meet here together, but I can't help but be surprised to see you after so long." Nalya grinned.

Maple explained, "It's indeed great to see you, Nalya! Have you met my talented assistant, Akili?"

Akili waved when her name was called.

"No, I haven't! And who are these two?" Nalya asked, looking at Riley and Rose. "They look like they hold promise."

"I agree! Don't they?" Maple praised. "These are Riley and Rose, two new Trainers whom I've given Pokemon to in order to start their journeys. They're also the two people who volunteer at Maple Labs more often than anyone else!"

"I see…" Nalya nodded, putting a finger to her sharp chin. "I was just coming back from a field trip with the class that we took to the Pokemon Reserve, north of here. Thank you for coming out here to meet me."

"Rose, Riley," Maple addressed, "this is Nalya. She's the Gym Leader of Vancine City, and also the Head Professor of Battle Technique at the Pokemon University."

"I presume I'll be expecting you two, hm?" Nalya acknowledged, scrutinizing the two young Trainers with her intimidating amber eyes.

"Yes, you sure will," Rose responded, a smug confidence in her voice.

"In that case, the Vancine City Pokemon Gym is attached to the Pokemon University," explained the Gym Leader. "I'll be seeing you there." She winked at Riley and Rose, then went over to order her premium Sherrow coffee. Riley noticed a strange rainbow-coloured charm clipped to the belt she was wearing. He couldn't really tell what it was, though…

"You just gonna sit around, Riley?" Rose asked, already at the cafe's door. "Come on! We should get a head start on Vancine City! It's all the way on the other side of New Moon Town, so we'll have to walk all the way back!"

Riley had realized that… Too bad Sherrow City's Gym wasn't open… it was going to be a long walk to Vancine City, and he didn't even have a single Gym Badge yet to put in the Badge Case his father had given him. He sighed, and got up from his seat, filling his lungs with fresh air and confidence. He followed Rose to the door, but by then she had already run off back towards Tempris Woods.

Maple chuckled. "Hot-footed as ever. I'll see you later, then, Riley." Maple waved Riley goodbye as he set back out towards Vancine City.


	8. The Mysterious Man in the Woods

Riley wandered back into the Tempris Woods from Sherrow City. He couldn't stop playing around with his brand-new PokeVice Holo 2 that Akili and Professor Maple had given him. The holographic interface mesmerized him as he fiddled around with the buttons.

A sound coming from the device alerted him of an incoming call. He accepted the call, and Rose's image appeared on the device's holographic 3D screen!

"Hey!" she said. "This thing has holo-video calls! Isn't that epic?"

Riley nodded. It was indeed fascinating. While continuing to walk through the wooded trail, he kept one eye on the screen while also staying alert for wild Pokemon. He wondered if the Team Delta surveyors had left yet… If Rose had made it far enough ahead, they probably had. Otherwise they might not have let her through.

"This thing is so cool! I'm totally gonna get to the Gym before you, Slowpoke," Rose teased. "That is… if I don't get lost in Vancine City," she sighed. "Vancine City is a huge city! I used to come shopping here with my mom, but I've still only seen part of it."

Riley chuckled.

"Vancine City has everything, huh?" Rose thought aloud. "They have a Pokemon University, a Pokemon Centre, a Sub-Ferry Terminal, a Pokemon Fishery, and a store that specifically sells PokeBalls. What don't they have?"

Riley thought to himself… With Vancine City being such a large and popular location, it was hard to think of anything it didn't have.

"Oh!" Rose shouted. "I know! It doesn't have a Contest Hall! Only Eclisse City has a Contest Hall!" Before long, though, Rose was back to talking about how much things that Vancine City did have. "There's even a gosh-dang Pokemon Cafe in Vancine City! It's a cafe where there are just stray Pokemon wandering around. You can adopt Pokemon from it, too. I bet that must be expensive though…" She trailed off.

Riley thought about that for a moment. A Pokemon Cafe, with stray Pokemon wandering throughout it? What would that be like? It sounded cute!

"Oh, but I gotta go! I'm gonna stop in the Pokemon Centre at Torutara Town while I'm here," Rose explained. "Not… because I had trouble battling a wild Pokemon. I'm just… topping up Elelel's health."

A click sound came from the PokeVice around Riley's wrist as the screen automatically turned off. He continued walking, listening to the sounds of the grass and leaves in the early-autumn breeze.

As he continued to walk forward, he noticed there was someone standing where the Team Delta surveyors had been standing… he was blocking the path, just like they had… Riley walked up to the person.

A gentle-looking man in comfortable hiking-style clothes was knelt on one knee. A heavy backpack rested on his back. His hair was a very, very dark navy blue colour, but it shined and rustled in the forest breeze. He had rather thick sideburns that looked exceptionally fluffy as they extended from his jaw. Wait, he was familiar…

His arm was extended. A curious yellow Pokemon stood a fair distance away... "Pi?" the Pokemon sounded, sniffing the air in the direction of the blue-haired man.

"That's it…" the man said in an unfathomably soft voice. "It's all right, I don't want to hurt you. See? I don't even have any PokeBalls."

The Pokemon, a Pikachu, timidly walked closer to the man. The man opened up his palm to reveal a glistening fresh Oran Berry. The Pikachu's face lit up, its interest piqued… or Pik'd, perhaps. It cautiously extended its neck towards the man's hand, sniffing frantically with its whiskers.

Riley walked closer. SNAP! The sound of a stick breaking underneath his foot wouldn't have normally echoed through the entire wood, but it did this time… The Pikachu immediately darted away, heading straight for the tall grass that it could hide in!

"Huh?" the man sounded, looking somewhat defeated. He stood up and turned around. "Oh… hello," he greeted. "Were you observing that Pikachu too? Cute, right?" The man juggled the Oran Berry in his palm, not sure what to do with it now that there were no Pokemon to offer it to. "Oh, it's you." It looked like the navy blue-haired man recognized Riley too. "I don't believe I got your name last we met."

Riley answered.

"Riley? I like that name," the man smiled. "My name's Eric. I'm a Pokemon Field Researcher… which is basically a fancy way to say, I watch wild Pokemon for a living."

Riley nodded in interest.

"Pokemon are absolutely wonderful creatures. They possess unique powers that allow them to thrive in their natural environments. And some Pokemon are even capable of adapting to new situations in very cool ways. I'm fascinated by Pokemon... and I couldn't be happier with my job."

Riley smiled. It sounded like a nice job, indeed.

"This area has been radiating with Burst Energy lately…" Eric explained. "I came to see for myself how this outpouring of Burst Energy was affecting the Pokemon in this area. Pokemon have the unique ability to channel Burst Energy, after all."

Riley was so confused. What even was Burst Energy?

"I can tell from your expression that you're not getting something…" Eric noticed, putting a hand to his pointed chin. "Do you not know what Burst Energy is?"

Riley shook his head.

"Oh, I see. Have you heard of the Burst technique?"

Riley was at least familiar with that. Burst was a technique used by a selection of strong Pokemon Trainers in the Chinocko region.

"Well, Burst Energy is the energy which allows Pokemon to use Burst," Eric explained. "Other than that, though, little about it is known… We know that it pours out from the earth, we know that it's a natural phenomenon that only occurs in the Chinocko region, and we know that only Pokemon are able to harness it… as of yet. And we know that when Burst Energy builds up too much, it creates an implosion that results in the formation of a Burst Core."

Riley nodded, absorbing the information.

"Oh," gasped Eric. "I must be in you way… Well, my observations here are pretty much complete. I suppose I don't need to take up this space any longer. You look like someone who likes Pokemon… Please, accept this." He handed Riley the plump Oran Berry that he had attempted to offer the wild Pikachu. "May we meet again, Riley." Eric waved goodbye and walked off in the direction of Torutara Town. Riley waved goodbye to him as well and took a moment to put the Oran Berry into his bag before continuing on his own way towards Torutara Town.

* * *

When he arrived back in Torutara Town, it appeared that the public farmer's market had finally been set up again! His eyes lit up. He wasn't normally so excited to see the Torutara Public Market lining the streetsides. He was used to it being the norm, after all. But seeing it back up and running brought a smile to his face. He couldn't just ignore the public market! This would be the perfect place to spend some of the prize money that he'd won from battling Trainers!

There were many stalls lined along the curving Main Street of Torutara Town! There were colourful Berries and other foods stacked high on top of the stalls! Many of the vendors were conversing happily with each other, evidently glad to be back to doing their thing.

Riley walked up to one of the market stalls. There were an array of fabric bags, tied up tight at the top by colourful strings. "Hello, youngster," greeted the older woman who was running the stall. "May I interest you in some Powders? They're a mix of finely-ground plant roots and minerals. They can be carried by a Pokemon to boost certain things, and some Powders can even heal Pokemon's wounds when inflicted with burns or poison." The old woman smiled, "They also make good tea. Heh, not many people know that."

Riley browsed the selection. All of the tiny fabric bags were labeled with embroidered patches that said what the powders would do. Riley's eyes fell upon a powder bag with a PokeBall-shaped patch on the front. He looked up at the woman running the stall and picked up the bag very gently.

"That there's Heal Powder. It can heal any status wound inflicted in a Pokemon," the woman explained. "It's useful, so you don't oughta' dig around your bag and pull out an Awakening when you're looking for an Antidote."

Riley did see the merit in that. He handed over some of his money to the woman, and put the bag of Heal Powder into his bag.

"Thank you very much, young one," the woman grinned. "I hope that that comes in handy for you."

Riley moved over to another stall. There was a selection of colourful Berries of all shapes and sizes on top of the stall. It definitely seemed that this stall was popular, as there was a crowd of people around it, looking through the Berries to find the perfect one. Riley snuck his way in through the people and started to look through them himself.

This popular stall had three people serving the customers. One of them wasn't busy, and walked over to greet Riley. "Hello," they waved. They wore a dark green apron with a Leppa Berry printed on a pocket in the front. "Are you looking for a specific Berry? We have a few more boxes back here in case you don't see one that you want."

Riley browsed through the Berries. In all honesty, as a novice Trainer, he wasn't well-educated on the effects of different Berries. Riley picked up a rather large, hard Berry with a pink surface and dense green leaves.

"That's a Persim Berry," the person in the apron explained. "Confusion is a status condition wherein a Pokemon becomes disoriented and may accidentally attack itself with its own moves. As you can tell, that's very inconvenient. So, if you feed a Confused Pokemon a Persim Berry, it'll immediately overcome the Confusion."

Riley was immediately sold! If he was to face a lot of Trainers, all with differing battle styles, he wanted to be fully prepared for all kinds of possibilities. He transacted his money to the stall runner, and put the Berry into the same pocket of his bag that he had put the Oran Berry that he'd gotten from Eric.

Riley continued to look around a bit more, but didn't end up buying anything else. He walked up to one stall, which had a few large green leafy things on top of it. The man behind it had a long beard and a comfy-looking chair that he was sitting in. "Hello there," the man waved upon seeing Riley approaching. "Sorry, but our next harvest of Revival Herbs has been delayed due to an infestation of Rattata at our farm. It's unfortunate, but I can't sell you these ones since I'm holding onto them for someone. Sorry about that! Hopefully, we'll get it taken care of and have a fresh harvest soon."

Riley looked at the leafy produce on the table. Revival Herbs… They sounded useful! He waved at the vendor and proceeded back to Route 3.

Oh! He immediately noticed that the gates to the Berry Farm were open! He grinned and thought to himself, even though he had to walk all the way back through New Moon Town from Sherrow City, there sure were a lot of new things happening to keep his return trip interesting!

Riley walked through the white gates and into the Berry Farm, a smile on his face. He had taken a trip here with Maple and Rose once, where they'd learned about the growth patterns of different types of Berries. Of course, he didn't remember the specifics… but he did remember the basics! With well-treated soil and routine watering, along with sunlight, planted Berries grew into Berry Plants, which grew even more Berries from them!

Riley was immediately greeted by one of the farm's attendants, a girl with bouncy blonde hair and blue eyes. She was operating some sort of pushable tool that spun around under the soil and made it fluffy and dark. "Howdy!" she waved. "Welcome back!" Apparently she remembered Riley. He had to think, but he thought he remembered her face too. "Just a moment and I'll be with you," the girl called. "I gotta till the soil first."

There were multiple types of plots of soil at the Berry Farm. Torutara Town and its residents were very knowledgeable about the ideal conditions for produce to grow! There were plots just out in the open, plots inside raised beds, plots with wooden poles sticking out of them, and plots with overhead covers over them.

The blonde girl walked over and acknowledged Riley. "You been here before, yeah?"

Riley nodded.

"I thought I remembered that face!" the girl grinned. "What'cher name again?"

Riley responded.

"Riley! What can I do for ya?"

Riley looked around… He didn't really have anything that he particularly wanted to do here. He just wanted to check it out an see if it was the same as the last time he had come. Evidently, it was.

"I can show you around, if you;d like," she offered.

Riley agreed. A tour of the Berry Farm would help him know where to find everything.

"Y'know, here at the Berry Farm we like to invite people to plant their own Berries using our soil. With soil this rich, why not share, right?" the girl smiled. "As you can see behind me, that there's all of our plots. You can plant Berries in the plots if you'd like." The girl guided Riley over to the side of the field, where there was a large round machine and a tub. A thick, wide pipe seemed to lead into the tub. "This here's the Mulch Machine. You can use Berries to make Mulch, which you can put into the soil to help Berry Plants produce more and grow faster. As they say, it's a Berry-eat-Berry world."

Riley nodded, confirming that he understood.

"Follow me, then," she instructed. She guided Riley over to the main building located at the back of the field. There was a wide window next to the entrance. "This is the window where you can ask the person standing behind it for help." The person standing behind the window waved awkwardly at Riley. Riley waved awkwardly back. They both chuckled. "You can ask them how to use certain facilities 'round here, and they can tell you in detail if you want. And… I guess that concludes our tour!"

Riley thanked the girl for the helpful tour, even though there weren't that many different things to see.

"Happy plantin'!" she cheered, then went inside the main building.

Riley walked back towards the main area of the field. There were a couple people using some of the plots to grow Berry Plants of their own. Riley walked over and heard them talking.

"I feel so relaxed when I come here and water my Berry Plants," one of the Berry growers said.

The other one responded, "Yeah! I totally get that! My favourite part is when you can see the buds of the Berries just starting to form. They grow so fast once they reach that stage!"

The first one nodded, "I agree. Oh hey, did you hear? I heard that they're going to be opening a place where you can get your Berries turned into ice cream! They're gonna be using Moo Moo Milk for the cream- or at least, that's what I heard- so it'll be super good for you and your Pokemon, too!"

"That sounds awesome!" The other Berry grower grinned in response.

Riley smiled. It sounded like they were excited, which made him feel excited through osmosis.

"But it's not open. I'm not really sure when it's going to open."

"That's still cool though! I can't wait 'til it opens!"

Riley silently agreed. That was a worthy reason to return to the Berry Farm in the future. For now, he headed back to the entrance and proceeded through Route 3, returning at New Moon Town.

* * *

Riley couldn't help it. His first stop while going through New Moon Town was his home. It was getting late into the evening by now, anyway… He walked into the familiar door of his home. His father was in the kitchen, reading newspaper at the kitchen table. He turned around as he heard the door shut. He smiled when he saw Riley.

"Welcome back," he greeted. "What're you doing back in town so soon?"

Riley explained about how Sherrow City's Gym was closed, and about having to come back through New Moon Town to get to Vancine City, where he had a Gym Battle waiting for him.

"Oh, so the Sherrow City Gym wasn't accepting challengers?" his father asked.

Riley shook his head.

"It's probably for the better," his father chuckled. "Sherrow City is the location of the Gym run by Braise. It's the most challenging Gym in the region, son."

Riley wasn't aware of that fact. His eyes narrowed as he thought about what he could have gotten himself into.

"I think you'll have a much better time starting out with Nalya's Gym. That's the first Gym I challenged as well."

Riley smiled. He really was unintentionally following in his father's footsteps.

"Why don't you and your Pokemon sleep here tonight?" his dad offered. "It's getting late, and you've been walking around all day."

Riley agreed that that sounded like a good idea. He went up to his room and put his bag on the floor and fell asleep almost as soon as he closed his eyes.

"Arp arp!" was the sound that woke him up in the morning. He wiped his eyes to the familiar sound, and the familiar feeling of Pupsky digging up his bed sheets. He waved at Pupsky, who jumped into his arms and kicked his face.

He sat Pupsky at the foot of the bed and took the opportunity to scan it with his PokeDex. "Pupsky. The Puppy Pokemon," the PokeDex's voice explained. "Type: Normal. Pupsky are very popular house pets. Honest, loyal, protective, playful. They are great with children, and absolutely adore attention such as petting and scratching. If their noses are wet and cool, they are healthy. If dry and warm, they are likely unhealthy."

Riley reached out and scratched Pupsky's fluffy forehead. One of Pupsky's wide eyes was a stark blue, while the other was an earthy brown. He got up from bed and went downstairs. It appeared that his father was still asleep in his bedroom. He quietly crept out the door.

Rose was also just exiting her own next-door house at the same time, out of coincidence. "Oh hey, it's Riley!" she waved.

Riley waved back.

"You stopped in town too?" she asked.

Riley nodded, and began to walk over to Rose.

"It's really early… you wanna start off the day right? With a battle!" she suggested.

Riley smiled, and prepared his PokeBall.

"Sweet!" Rose pumped her first. "Let me show you how great I am at this!"


	9. The Return to the Forest Clearing

Riley had woken up feeling refreshed in the way he was so used to, Pupsky jumping up on his bed. He had crept outside quietly, attempting not to awaken his father who was still sleeping. He opened up his door and walked a short pace into the street, where he encountered Rose. He greeted her with an excited wave.

"Oh hey, it's Riley!" she waved back. "You stopped in town too?"

Riley nodded, and began to walk over to Rose.

"It's really early… you wanna start off the day right? With a battle!" she suggested.

Riley smiled, and prepared his PokeBall.

"Sweet!" Rose pumped her first. "Let me show you how great I am at this!"

Rose sent out Elelel! Riley, knowing he had an advantageous Pokemon, sent out the Faraten he had caught!

Faraten was the faster long-bodied Pokemon between the two, and began the battle with a Spark attack! It lit itself up with the electric energy that made its muscles jitter, and dashed at rapid speed toward Elelel! It jumped up like a jolt of electricity jumping between wires and made contact with Elelel! The Water-type Pokemon took major damage, and immediately fainted!

Rose gasped, taken aback. "Wow… that was a strong attack… But don't think that's going to throw me off! Go, Cottontuft, I guess!"

She sent out her next Pokemon, a Cottontuft. It looked slightly larger than the one Riley had seen on Route 3, so he assumed it was perhaps caught in Tempris Woods.

Cottontuft had the opportunity to attack, and hopped over to Faraten, then used a surprisingly powerful Tackle attack on it, knocking it back slightly! Faraten retaliated by delivering a Tackle attack of its own! The Cottontuft stepped up its game, and bit its large vegetable-munching teeth into Faraten's leg! Faraten struggled to get the Cottontuft off of it, but used Discharge, which accomplished the goal quite handily.

Cottontuft was unable to battle after being shocked by Faraten's Discharge attack! Rose clenched her teeth together. "Dang…" She sent out her next Pokemon!

"Meeeow~" the Pokemon said, puffing up its silky-furred chest.

"Glameow!" Rose shouted. "Use Fake Out!"

Glameow went to swipe at Faraten's mustelidae face! However, it missed! But it soon came with a second attack, which knocked Faraten back! Faraten was unable to battle after that attack left seemingly critical damage!

Riley threw out his next Pokemon, in response! "Bark!" Pupsky shouted.

Glameow cowered in the face of Pupsky. It arched its back in fear!

Pupsky ran forward, and bit into Glameow with Bite! Glameow attempted to counterattack with Scratch, but missed narrowly! One more Bite from Pupsky and Glameow was also unable to battle!

"Wah-!" Rose gasped, clenching her fist in front of her sharp face! "It was over so fast…" Rose sighed as she handed Riley a small bit of victory money. "I clearly need to get stronger, as a Trainer…" she sighed. "But I'll beat you yet!" She went on, "Uh, anyway, it looks like the gate leading to Route 2 is open now! They closed it temporarily after some idiot ran into the Forest Clearing without a Pokemon and got attacked by a wild Pokemon. I'm gonna go first, so I can do some Training and make sure I'm ready for the Gym Battle with Nalya! Catch up, Slowpoke."

With that, Rose ran off ahead to the riverside Route 2, otherwise known as Forest Clearing, leaving Riley behind. Riley checked his Holo-Map to make sure that he had a good grasp on the path towards Vancine City. From New Moon Town, he'd go through Forest Clearing, then pass through the bushy Enigma Thicket, then through Route 1, the route known for the Nature Bridge, and finally he would arrive in Vancine City. It sure would be easier if the Routes were in order from his small home town instead of the capital city, he thought.

Either way, he puffed up his shoulders and proceeded towards Route 2. He was a bit nervous… this was the place where he had been attacked by that Tacticrow… Pupsky, who hadn't yet returned to its PokeBall, noticed Riley's nervousness. It rubbed up against his leg, barking with confidence. Riley smiled and nodded, returning Pupsky to its PokeBall and proceeding forward. Even if he did run into a wild Pokemon, now he had a Pokemon of his own to fight back with!

The Fractal River ran alongside Route 2 in some sections, and a bridge was installed to be able to safely cross the river when it cut the route in half. However, Riley had also heard people talk about using Pokemon with powerful moves to cut down and knock down the trees along the path and use them as makeshift bridges to get to secret spots.

He walked along the riverside route, until he found… a wild Pokemon! "Beaver!" the wild Pokemon called.

Riley recognized the Pokemon! It was the flat-tailed Pokemon Lumbeaver! He sent out Pupsky! The Lumbeaver managed to deal the first attack! It planted a bunch of seeds, which stuck into Pupsky's fluffy fur. Pupsky immediately felt its energy draining! It attempted to shake off the sticky seeds, but it was no use! It charged at the Lumbeaver, and bit into the Pokemon's neck! Bite! Lumbeaver yelped, but it recovered some damage thanks to the seeds it had attached to Pupsky's fur siphoning Pupsky's energy into its own body! Lumbeaver attempted to use Tackle, but it missed and fell over! Pupsky bit into the Pokemon's tail!

"L-lum-" the Pokemon stuttered. However, it soon after ran into the bushes to recover from its wounds.

Riley could feel Pupsky's pride emanating from the tiny Pokemon. It shook its fur, and this time the seeds came out with no problem. Pupsky was gaining experience rather quickly. Riley continued walking down the grassy tree-shaded path, until he arrived at the bridge that crossed the Fractal River. Looking down at the rushing water, he immediately knew why people called it the Fractal River. Shiny stones under the water cast light on the water surface, and the moving water splashed up into sparkling droplets as a result. Riley was mesmerized by it. There were even Water-type Pokemon in the water, like Salmet! Riley pointed his PokeDex at one of the Salmet swimming downstream, filled with curiosity. Thankfully, his PokeDex was able to fulfill his curiosity. "Salmet," the PokeDex said. "The Aboriginal Pokemon. Types: Water, and Rock. Its fins reflect water vapour such that they appear to be detached from its body. They use their shiny caudal fins essentially as propellers, like on a speedboat, to propel themselves against harsh river currents."

Riley was super impressed! If only he had a fishing rod, he could cast it into the water in an attempt to catch one of the fascinating Salmet. But, would a regular old fishing rod even be able to be used effectively in such a strong river? Would a good fishing rod even be able to? Maybe, to fish in a harsh Chinockan river, he'd need a specialized fishing rod.

The entrance to the Enigma Thicket was just up ahead. Riley could tell because of the thick, brambled wall of brush ahead. It sure was a thicket, he thought… but what made it an enigma? He shrugged, and proceeded through an arch-shaped tunnel cut into the wall of brambled brush.


	10. Vancine, the Capital City

Riley proceeded through an arch-shaped cut in the wall of brush.

The inside of the Enigma Thicket was something else. The brambled brush from the outside created what was effectively a dome over the thicket. Riley wasn't even sure how that was possible. Some light was able to come through the thicket dome, but hardly much. Riley noticed that Rose was in the thicket, too. She heard Riley stepping over the crackling leaves on the ground, and turned around.

"Oh, Riley!" she smirked. "You're gaining on me, huh?"

Riley chuckled.

"Anyway, you're not gonna beat me to Vancine City, I promise you that." Rose proclaimed. "Route 1 is cool, isn't it? I've been there a few times with my mom. It's like a bridge of grass over the highway below! Chinocko has some cool things like that to protect wild Pokemon, you know?"

Riley nodded.

"Well, I'm gonna go. I hear there's some cool Pokemon on the Route 1 Nature Bridge. I even heard there was a herd of Raindeer passing over." Rose confidently strode out of the thicket through the nigh-identical exit on the other side.

Riley followed her. He jumped back! Huh?!

The brambles had extended across the exit, blocking it entirely, as if they had a mind of their own. He looked back. The brambles had also extended across the other exit. Was he trapped? He put a hand on the zipper to the PokeBall pocket of his backpack. He looked around more… Suddenly, a patch of brambles pulled back. It led to a small pathway, with light trickling down from above.

He followed it, having nowhere else to go. The path ended at what appeared to be a totem pole. There were three heads on the totem pole. The bottom head looked something like a wolf. The second head up, the middle one, was the head of a black bird with a large beak, with feathers painted rainbow colours etched into the sides. The top head on the totem pole was that of another bird, this one with deer-like antlers made of branches which seemingly had not been carved, since they still had bark on them.

Suddenly, Riley heard a voice echoing through the thicket. "Pe," the voice echoed. "Pe'e."

Before he knew it, there was a large bird-shaped Pokemon standing before him. The Pokemon had fluffy, downy feathers which puffed up on its chest. It had bird-like feet with sharp talons which glistened like metal. And most notably, it had a pair of deer-like antlers growing from its forehead. Riley noticed something strange about the Pokemon's wings. If they were together, they would have looked remarkably like a bow, like one you would shoot an arrow from.

"Pe'eleon," the Pokemon said.

Riley didn't understand it, but he could hear the desperation in the Pokemon's otherwise calm call.

The top of the totem pole twisted open without anyone touching it. Inside, there was a metallic piece of something that looked like a slice of pie. Upon closer inspection, it looked like something round and metallic had been broken apart.

The Pokemon extended its downy wing towards Riley, and the metallic item hovered towards the young Trainer's chest.

Riley put out his hand as well. The bizarre item floated just above his palm, spinning slowly.

"Leon," the Pokemon said with a nod.

Riley nodded back, somehow understanding the Pokemon completely, and being utterly confused simultaneously. He had attained a Strange Shard from a mysterious Pokemon in the Enigma Thicket. He put the item into his backpack.

The Pe'eleon disappeared into thin air, leaving nothing but faint sparkles in the air.

Riley went back to the main area of the thicket. The path closed up again behind him, but the two exits were now also open. He looked back at his backpack… what was that Strange Shard item? He figured he would find someone who might know something about it, and went onward towards Route 1, the route which was home to the nationally famous Nature Bridge.

* * *

The light flashed into Riley's eyes after having been in the darkness of the Enigma Thicket. A helpful sign next to him reminded him that he was on Route 1. He could see the rows of buildings on the outer edge of Vancine City, which helped orient him towards his next destination. The route was split in half by a highway. Riley could see cars occasionally speeding along the road. But, there was also a bridge over the highway. The bridge was topped with grass and trees, attempting to blend in with the ground. Riley noticed a plaque nearby. He walked over to it and read it.

It read, "The Nature Bridge: The famous Nature Bridge was designed and built by a

team of passionate Pokemon Conservationists in order to ensure a safe way fo

Pokemon to travel across the highway that extends from Vancine City. It was covered

in foliage in order to blend in with the grassy clearings on either side of the highway,

encouraging Pokemon to use the bridge instead of walking across the road." Vancine

City's municipal stamp could be seen on the bottom-right corner of the plaque.

Riley proceeded towards the bridge. He noticed a few wild Pokemon were currently using the bridge to cross the highway. There was a beige Pokemon with fluffy blue spots and hooves. It looked up from its grazing and saw Riley approaching it. It jumped onto its hooves, preparing for a confrontation. Riley noticed the Pokemon preparing for combat, and reached down to the PokeBall pocket of his bag, where his Pokemon were waiting!

The Pokemon had small antlers attached to its heads, which grew in the shape of teardrops. Riley pointed his PokeDex's scanner at it! His PokeDex analyzed the Pokemon! "Raindeer. The Tiny-Horned Pokemon. Type: Water," the PokeDex explained. "Their tiny horns are used for storing water that they drink. Raindeer can launch water at very high pressures, but because they are so docile, they only use this ability when threatened. Their speed is unrivaled in their habitat, and their fur is softer than dandelion fluff. Their tails are shaped like water droplets."

A water-type Pokemon… Riley wanted to send out Faraten, but it wasn't in a good state to battle… If he sent out the fire-type Burndillo, it would be at a disadvantage. His only option was to send out Pupsky!

"Pup-pup!" it barked, its tongue lulling out of its mouth as it began to pant. It looked at the Raindeer, who was much taller than it. However, it wasn't afraid! It looked back towards Riley for instruction!

The Raindeer attacked! It ran at high speed towards Pupsky, coating itself in a bubble of water! It looked like a unique execution of the move Aqua Jet! Pupsky managed to jump out of the way just in time, though, and performed a Bite attack of its own! It chomped its small teeth down onto Raindeer's leg! The Pokemon stumbled, falling over! As it attempted to get back up, Pupsky used Bite on it a second time!

Riley considered catching it… It looked like a Pokemon with lots of potential to learn new abilities! He prepared a PokeBall and signaled for Pupsky to lay off on it. Riley prepared to throw the PokeBall, not having learned the ideal form yet. He analyzed the distance between himself and the Pokemon, his tongue sticking out as he focused. Then, he threw! The PokeBall opened, and the Raindeer went inside! The PokeBall shook, then shook again…

3… 2… 1…! And… caught!

Riley had caught another Pokemon! Just then, before he could even recall Pupsky into its PokeBall, another wild Pokemon challenged him!

"Finchling!" the Pokemon called.

Riley analyzed it with the PokeDex. "Finchling. The Finch Pokemon. Type: Flying, and Fairy. Despite being so small, Finchling are very fast Pokemon, especially when in flight. Sparkles are released off their wings as they fly. They are easily identifiable thanks to their body markings, as well as their naturally-jittery movement."

It was true. Riley could see the sparkles fluttering down underneath Finchling's wings as they flapped. The sparkles seemed to evaporate into the air itself. There were cute wispy markings around the Pokemon's body that were dark-pink, a different colour from the majority mid-gray and white of its body. Pupsky barked up at it, and it chirped back! It sent a beam of wind at Pupsky! What kind of attack was that? Riley had no clue. But the PokeDex said it was Flying-type! Neither Pupsky nor Burndillo had any moves that would be very effective against a Flying-type Pokemon like Finchling!

"Twe-weet!" Finchling chirped! It went to attack Pupsky again, but Pupsky attacked it first! Pupsky jumped up into the air and used a Scratch attack to knock Finchling to the ground! Finchling quickly got up, but before it could flap back into the air again, Pupsky pinned it down with its paw and used Bite! Finchling jumped back, and swung its wing at Pupsky! It was undoubtedly a Wing Attack! Pupsky took damage, but not enough to go down! Pupsky used Bite once more! The Finchling hopped into the bushes, tweeting, to recover from the battle. Pupsky growled at it, making sure it knew who the winner was.

Riley smiled and thought about how the two back-to-back wild Pokemon battles had gone. Pupsky had surely gained some experience from that; it was evident in how confident it now was in its attacks. Plus, Riley now had a Raindeer on his team! That brought his total Pokemon up to four. He called for Pupsky to follow, raised his shoulders with pride, and continued down the Nature Bridge.

* * *

It was finally here… Riley had finally arrived in Vancine City. Vancine City was the largest city in all of Chinocko. That also meant it had the most facilities to take advantage of, and the most people crowding the streets. However, it was an iconic city, and Riley felt accomplished that he had made it all the way here (with the help of his Pokemon, of course).

He clicked the button on his Holo-Map, which projected the image of a map of the large City of Vancine. There were so many facilities…! There was a Pokemon Centre, a Pokemon Department Centre, a Bank, a Bar, and even the Pokemon Cafe that Rose had mentioned! On top of that, there was the Pokemon Trainer University, the Town Hall, multiple hotels, and the Vancine Park, where Trainers were known to go for battles. Even furthermore, there was a Pokemon Fishery, a Sub-Ferry Terminal, and even the huge national Vancine Airport! Riley could see a plane overhead right then, as if on seeing the Vancine Airport on his map had called it to appear.

There were many things to see in such a huge city, but Riley had a mission. First, he would locate the Pokemon Centre and heal his team of Pokemon, then he would challenge Nalya at her Pokemon Gym! Riley consulted the Holo-Map. Both the Pokemon Centre and the Pokemon Gym were located on Vancine Central Rd. He inputted his plans into his Holo-Map's route planning feature, and the optimal route to the Pokemon Centre was highlighted on the Holo-Map's projected screen. Apparently, the temperature in the city was 22 Degrees, Celsius of course, and lightly cloudy. It certainly seemed that way. It was pleasantly warm, without being hot.

Riley followed the route highlighted on his Map. The Holo-Map led him through an alley which wound between two rows of buildings. He didn't expect to see wild Pokemon in a street alley! There was a Trubbish hanging around a garbage can which was left outside the back door of what appeared to be an apartment building, and there was a Glameow proudly passing through the alley, fluffy chest puffed up. Riley walked on through, hoping the Pokemon wouldn't bother him. The Glameow glared at him, but walked by as if he were a waste of its time.

The Trubbish, unfortunately, wasn't so willing to let him go without a battle! The Trubbish made chase! Riley thought for a split second about engaging the Pokemon in combat, but then he remembered that most of his Pokemon were not in adequate battling condition! He sprinted down the alleyway, away from the Trubbish! The Trubbish fired some kind of fowl-smelling Posion-type attack his way, but he didn't care to turn around and look at it! When he knew he was safe, he bent over, supporting his hands with his knees, panting heavily. Still panting, he pulled up his Holo-Map once more, making sure his action scene hadn't pulled him off course.

As per the Map's directions, there was a crossroads when Riley came out the other end of the street alley. It had taken him to the Vancine Park. It would have been faster to walk through the park, but his Pokemon weren't in an appropriate state to do any Pokemon Battles with Trainers, so he walked around the grassy park instead.

Thankfully, the Holo-Map showed that Vancine Central Rd. wasn't too far from here. He proceeded along the Map's suggested route, until he arrived at Vancine Central Rd. Vancine Central Rd. was actually a round plaza. The Pokemon Centre, Town Hall, and Pokemon University were all located around the plaza. In the middle of the plaza was a metal statue. It was a statue depicting four bird Pokemon in one small metal tree. The bird Pokemon at the roots of the tree was bulky and muscular, with big claws on its wings. It didn't appear like it could fly. The second Pokemon up on the tree sat on a branch, and it had a sharp beak which it was depicted using to peck into the trunk of the tree. The third bird was depicted taking off from another branch. It was attached to the statue with its metal tail feathers, and it had a smaller beak which seemed to extend around its eyes, creating a masquerade-like mask. The fourth and final bird was sitting on a small branch at the very top of the tree, and it was much smaller than the others. Its wings looked elegant, as if they were designed specifically to be excellent at flight. Riley wasn't sure where he recalled the Pokemon… He heard a passerby refer to the Pokemon depicted in the glossy metal statue as "Darwing". But, Riley thought to himself, could all four of these really be the same Pokemon species?

Just then, a message notification dinged on his wrist. He looked at his PokeVice to read the message. It was from Rose. "Hey." she messaged. "I bet you didn't realize we could send messages using our PokeVices." She sent another message. "I just went to the Pokemon Cafe. It was such a great time! A stray Glameow came right up and licked my hand! The drink they gave me was super bitter, though… Anyway, now I have to walk all the way to Vancine City Gym… Don't get beat too hard by Nalya, okay?"

Thanks for the vote of confidence, Riley sighed…

Surprisingly, the Pokemon Centre wasn't nearly as bustling as the city outside. Riley went up to the Nurse's counter and gave her his Pokemon so that she could use her special technology to heal them. In the meantime, he went over to look at anything he might want to buy in preparation of his upcoming Gym challenge. He bought three extra Potions, just in case. Besides, it wasn't like they would go bad if he ever needed them in the future.

He picked up his Pokemon. The next thing he wanted to do was look at the P.C. and check out what his options were with using it. He logged onto his own P.C. account, and the screen popped up with options. However, the options weren't the only thing that popped up!

A small, blue avatar of a formally-dressed male figure appeared in the corner of the screen! "Good afternoon, Master Riley!" the avatar greeted.

Riley gasped.

"My name's Sir Kit. I'm the Pokemon P.C. Helper!" the avatar explained. It looked like a man with blue skin and darker blue hair and eyes which were not as light of a blue as his skin and not as dark of a blue as his hair, wearing an aquamarine business-type outfit with a cerulean bowtie. Everything on him was a different shade of blue. It definitely helped him to appear digital, which is what he evidently was. He had an endearing grin on his face. "I was programmed by Team Delta to care for Pokemon in the P.C. System, and I'm here to help you access the P.C. functions! You can even communicate with me using voice commands!"

Riley's expression was one of impressedness.

"I-if you don't wanna talk, that's fine too," said Sir Kit awkwardly. "Otherwise, you can use the touch-screen buttons to navigate the functions."

Riley tapped the 'Deposit Pokemon' option.

"Ah, you're leaving a Pokemon in the P.C.?" Sir Kit asked. "I promise, I will personally take great care of them once they're on my side of the screen! Have no worries! When you see them again, they may just have gotten stronger thanks to my expert care! All you have to do is insert a Pokemon's PokeBall into that little PokeBall slot there!"

Riley took out Raindeer's PokeBall from his bag, and put it into the PokeBall-sized slot. The P.C. machine sucked up the PokeBall, and it appeared on the screen.

"Now that your Raindeer has been transferred to the P.C., I'll personally take great care of it, so you don't have to worry about it getting lonely or hungry!" Sir Kit explained. "No extra charge!"

Just then, Raindeer appeared in the digital expanse. "Deer?" it asked, looking around, slightly confused.

"Hello, my dear Raindeer!" Sir Kit smiled and waved, turning to Raindeer. A blue cup of blue tea appeared in his palm. "May I interest you in a warm drink?"

Raindeer pranced towards Sir Kit, smiling at the company.

Riley smiled and waved good-bye to Sir Kit, and to Raindeer, as he logged out of the P.C. The next task was to finally face a Pokemon Gym for the first time! To the Pokemon Trainer University!


	11. The Vancine City Gym Challenge!

The glass main doors of the Pokemon Trainer University slid automatically open upon Riley's arrival. The main hall of the Trainer University was wide, long, and well-lit from large windows and even skylights. It wasn't difficult to find Nalya's Pokemon Gym inside the University. After all, the flashy uniform pillars that all Pokemon Gyms were predicated with could be seen from the entrance. Riley proceeded to the balcony on the second floor, then proceeded into the Normal-type Pokemon Gym!

Immediately, Riley felt like he may have been intruding. There were Pokemon Trainers, but they appeared to be studying. Nalya was standing next to a wide black board that spanned across the back wall of the classroom that made up her Gym.

He proceeded forward. Nalya acknowledged him immediately. "Welcome, Riley. I've been expecting you."

Riley squared up!

Nalya chuckled. "Don't get too excited yet. When you can prove yourself against my students, then I'll face you myself."

Just then, all of the students looked up from their books at the same time. Riley gulped.

"If you need, I have materials you can use to study, such as Pokemon type effectiveness charts and Berry study guides," Nalya offered.

Riley walked over to one of the students.

"Hi! How's it going?" the student asked. "I'm really glad I studied! Me and my Cottontuft will show you what we've learned!"

The Pokemon Student sent out a Cottontuft! The Pokemon wiggled its tiny tail as it prepared for battle!

Riley sent out Pupsky! Pupsky growled at the Cottontuft, who chittered in return. Pupsky went in to attack! It quickly performed a double-attack, hitting Cottontuft with both a scratch and a bite, though not in the traditional technique of those two moves! Riley's eyes widened. Had Pupsky picked up a technique for a new move? It seemed as though Pupsky had just used Double Hit!

Cottontuft was majorly damaged by Pupsky's strong Double Hit, and fainted before it even got a chance to attack.

"Hmm…" the Pokemon Trainer sighed, recalling the Cottontuft into its PokeBall. "It appears I've been studying so hard that I forgot to apply what I learned…" The Pokemon Trainer gave Riley some money as a reward for winning. He sighed, slumping down into his desk chair. He looked really quite upset…

The next student Riley challenged was a girl in a Lass outfit, who had brown hair in a loose French braid. "Are you ready to see what I've got?" she asked. "Great! Let me show you! Lumbeaver, as we practiced!"

The Lass sent out a Lumbeaver, who chewed away on a stick as soon as it was released from its PokeBall.

Riley sent out Burndillo, who he knew had an advantage with moves like Ember and Flame Wheel!

Riley pointed his PokeDex at the Trainer's Lumbeaver to see what he could learn. "Lumbeaver," read the Dex. "The Beaver Pokemon. Types: Normal, and Grass. Lumbeaver have sharp teeth which make them especially good at carving things from wood. Their large, flat tails allow them to pat mud into place, which allows them to build structures from sticks and mud. They build dams in rivers to catch fish to eat."

Burndillo managed to use its powerful tail to launch it into the first move! It created flames around its hard-shelled body, the started to spin! It was forming a Flame Wheel attack! It sped towards Lumbeaver!

"Lumbeaver, as we've practiced!" the Lass reminded.

The Lumbeaver prepared for the attack to hit it! As soon as Burndillo's flaming body made contact, an invisible forcefield appeared around Lumbeaver!

"Good Protect, Lumbeaver!" the Lass encouraged.

Lumbeaver smiled expressively. It bit into Burndillo in such a way that it executed a Cut attack with its sharp teeth. However, the attack was weak, and Burndillo used Flame Wheel once again on the Lumbeaver! The Fire-type attack was extra effective against the part Grass-type Lumbeaver, and the Lumbeaver fainted!

"Even if I lost, I still learned something, y'know?" the Lass smiled. "Here, you've earned this." She handed Riley the appropriate amount of reward money.

There was only one more Trainer who looked like they wanted to battle. They had thick glasses. Surprisingly, they looked quite young to be attending the Pokemon Trainer University. The Youngster looked Riley in the eye.

"You're strong! I wanna use you to test how strong I am!" proclaimed the Youngster. The young boy sent out a Pupsky!

Riley decided to send out Faraten, so that the Normal and Electric-type Pokemon could get some battle experience! Faraten's speed meant it could easily sneak in the first attack! It bolted towards Pupsky in its unique jolt-like fashion, then tackled into the Pupsky with a Spark attack!

The Pupsky yipped, but retaliated by using Bite on Faraten! The Pupsky's Bite attack was a critical hit!

Faraten jumped back! It glared at Pupsky. It charged electricity inside its body, and a Discharge attack burst out from its body! Pupsky was caught in the Discharge! The opposing Pokemon ran up to Faraten and used Scratch on it, scratching all the way down its back!

Riley could see that Faraten had sustained enough damage that soon it would be unable to continue battling. He pulled a Potion out of his bag and sprayed the substance all over Faraten's lanky body. "Fara!" Faraten sounded pleased.

Pupsky attempted to use Bite again, but Faraten used its impressive speed to dodge just in time! Faraten tackled into Pupsky with another Spark attack! The Pupsky had taken enough damage that it could no longer battle.

"Pupsky, return!" called the Youngster, returning Pupsky to his PokeBall.

To Riley's surprise, the Youngster had a second Pokemon!

"Go, Raindeer!" called the Youngster as he sent out a Raindeer much like the one Riley had recently caught! Riley kept Faraten on the battlefield! Faraten and Raindeer both seemed closely matched for speed! Raindeer seemed to manage the first attack!

Raindeer launched a high-pressure beam made up of water and bubbles at Faraten! Bubble Beam! It was a direct hit! Faraten was flung back! Faraten, due to being light, flew through the air thanks to the impact of Raindeer's Bubble Beam attack! It used its airborne state to its advantage though, and spun around in the air! Sparks flew around it, forming into a ball of electricity! It used its long tail to swat the ball towards Raindeer!

Riley was impressed! It appeared like Faraten had just learned a new move: Electro Ball!

The Electro Ball attack made contact with the Raindeer! The super-effective attack caused the Raindeer to faint! Faraten landed next to Riley's foot.

"Darn…" the Youngster groaned. "I guess I overestimated my own strength as a Trainer… I won't make that mistake again!" The Youngster didn't have much money on hand, but he still gave Riley a small handful of prize money, as customary.

Nalya stepped forward, putting down her papers on the desk which had a plaque with her name on it. "I see, I see…" she pondered, crossing her arms. "It appears you have good knowledge of Pokemon typings. Now, you have one final test before you before you may possess the Graduate Badge."


	12. Battle for the Graduate Badge!

Riley stepped forward, shoulder back and chest pushed forward. He was excited, and felt prepared for his first battle with a Gym Leader!

Nalya also stepped forward. She maintained the same lax stance as she had before. "It's important to learn from your experiences battling alongside Pokemon." She spoke with clarity. "Are you ready to challenge a Gym Leader for the first time, Riley?"

Riley gave a determined nod, and tightened his grip on the PokeBall in his hand!

"Very well," Nalya grinned. "Before we begin, let us please acknowledge that this traditional Gym Battle will take place on the unceded land of Chinocko's first people." She bowed her head in acknowledgement.

It took Riley a moment to realize that he was supposed to bow his head as well, but he eventually did.

Nalya pulled a PokeBall out of her pocket and tossed it in her hand! She firmed up her stance, preparing for a Pokemon battle! "I'll be testing you on your battle strategy, Riley. So, don't slip up! Make this battle something we both can learn from!"

She tossed the PokeBall she was holding into the middle of the classroom! The Pokemon that emerged from the PokeBall was a Pokemon Riley hadn't seen! It looked similar to Cottontuft. However, it was leaner, and sat on its strong back feet. It had many white, shiny diamond patterns in its light brown fur, especially around its right eye and tail. "Hivare!" the Pokemon called, shaking its fluffy tail. It had an incredibly fluffy mane around its shoulders and neck, which was white and speckled with light brown.

Riley was fascinated by the Pokemon! He pulled up his PokeDex and consulted it for an explanation. The PokeDex began reciting, "Hivare. The Season Hare Pokemon, and the Evolved Form of Cottontuft. Ability: Winter Coat. Annual Forme. Type: Normal. Hivare's fur colours alternate depending on seasons and weather patterns. In winter, and during snowy weather, Hivare's fur pattern turns white, and it gains the Ice type. Hivare are particularly good at locating Berries in cold climates."

Wow! Riley thought to himself. A Pokemon with the ability to change its own Type in different weather conditions? Fascinating!

Riley sent out his Pupsky! "Bar-ark!" it barked. Its tail swished back and forth with its excitement.

Hivare managed the first move! "Hivare, Quick Attack!" instructed Nalya. Hivare dashed up to Pupsky with its strong legs, and pounded into him with an unpredictably fast kick! Pupsky was knocked back slightly by the impact!

Pupsky barked! It ran up to Hivare, who had attacked it! Pupsky used Bite, digging its sharp teeth into Hivare's leg! Hivare used Scratch in retaliation, and got Pupsky off of it! It used Pupsky's moment of surprise to perform a second attack! Hivare used Quick Attack on Pupsky again, slamming into the canine Pokemon with its feet!

Pupsky used Scratch! It pinned Hivare down, and scratched it with its claws! Hivare kicked Pupsky off of it with its powerful feet, and used Bite! Pupsky yelped. It used Bite right back! Hivare fell over, looking too weak to continue battling.

"Hivare, return!" Nalya returned Hivare safely to its PokeBall. She gently rubbed the surface of the PokeBall. "Fear not, Hivare. You still did very well." Nalya looked at her opponent, Riley.

Pupsky limped over to Riley's side. Riley's face was struck with concern… but he just didn't have time to worry about it! Nalya was already throwing out her next Pokemon!

"Raindeer!" the Pokemon called. Riley was familiar with Raindeer. He had faced one on the Nature Bridge at Route 1, as well as one only moments ago.

Riley looked at Pupsky with encouragement in his gray eyes. Pupsky looked back. It nodded, and jumped back into battle, ignoring its pain!

Raindeer attempted to move first! It used Bubble Beam! However, Pupsky jumped out of the way! Pupsky sprinted towards Raindeer! It opened up its jaw in preparation to use Bite! However, it tripped on its tender damaged leg right before it reached Raindeer!

Riley clenched his fist in frustration and anticipation of something bad! Raindeer turned to face Pupsky, who had fallen! All it had to do was use Tackle and Pupsky had fainted!

Riley returned Pupsky to its PokeBall, and sent out Faraten instead. He remembered that Faraten's Electric-type attacks gave it an advantage against the Water-type Raindeer!

Faraten hissed and jumped around on its sparky little feet. It looked back to Riley for quick instructions. Riley looked back with narrowed eyes.

Faraten dashed toward Raindeer, its electric bolt-like movement making its next move impossible to predict! It jumped into the air, still jolting like lightning, and launched an Electro Ball at Raindeer!

The super-effective attack clearly did great damage to the Raindeer! "Raindeer!" Nalya gasped. She ran over to the Pokemon and swiftly sprayed its wounds with a Potion. Raindeer smiled back at Nalya's help, and got back up to its hooves.

Faraten used Double Team, using its intense energy to move so fast that it created doubles of itself! Raindeer was visibly confused. However, it had a plan! Raindeer mustered its power, and unleashed a Surf move! It created a pool of water in the middle of the classroom! All of Faraten's copies faded away, and Faraten itself was also damaged! The pool of water soon faded as well.

Faraten launched one more Electro Ball at Raindeer! It was powerful enough to cause Raindeer to fall over, unable to battle further. Nalya returned Raindeer to its PokeBall. "That was a great performance," she whispered into the PokeBall.

Nalya's final Pokemon was one Riley also owned! It was a Faraten! "Ten!" it yipped.

Riley's Faraten managed to get the first move in! It attempted to use Spark, but it missed the opponent in its charge! The opposing Faraten chased down Riley's, and used Scratch on it! Faraten was hit by the attack! But it used its opponent's close quarters to use a particularly effective Discharge! It emanated electricity from its body, which entered the nearby Faraten!

Although Faraten could store energy of its own, it still took damage from the Discharge. Its muscles tensed up, causing its electric hopping to slow drastically. "Paralysis…" Nalya muttered. "That certainly is a strategy… Usually, I don't see new Trainers using such techniques…"

"R-raten," Nalya's Faraten stuttered, flinching from its paralysis.

"Faraten, can you perform a Tackle?" Nalya asked.

The opposing Faraten attempted to move. The electric energy running through its muscles, which had been put there by Riley's own Faraten, made it difficult, but it somehow managed to perform the move! It rammed its body into the other Faraten, causing the mustiled Pokemon to go flying backward! Riley's Faraten landed, but it had sustained considerable damage!

Riley's Faraten dashed back to the battlefield, swiveling between the legs of the classroom's desks. It used Spark on the opponent, which landed in a critical spot on the already-paralyzed Pokemon! The opposing Faraten took considerable damage! It attempted to perform another attack, but the foreign electricity in its muscles caused them to tense up, disabling it from moving! Riley's Faraten used Spark one more time, and the opposing Faraten was then unable to battle!

"Strong battle," Nalya commented, returning her Faraten to its PokeBall. "You pass with flying colours. As a reward, please accept the Graduate Badge." She held out a shiny silver Gym Badge for Riley to take.

Riley excitedly grabbed it right out of her palm! He opened up his dad's old wooden Badge Case and inserted the simple-looking diamond-shaped Gym Badge into the ridge in the foam which was the same shape and size! He moved the Badge Case around, watching as the shiny new Gym Badge gleamed in the light.

"I'm glad you're excited," smiled Nalya. "Here." She handed a considerable amount of money to Riley. "Your reward money."

Riley gladly accepted it. It was more than he'd won in any battle up to this point, which caused his face to light up subconsciously, without him noticing.

"Do you know where you're going to go to next?" asked Nalya.

Riley thought for a moment. He wanted to look around the city, but otherwise he didn't know where his journey would take him next.

"The nearest Gym from here is in Suncoast City," Nalya explained. "It's on Suncoast Island, a small island in the Coastal Subregion. Do you have any Pokemon that you can use to cross large bodies of water?"

Riley shook his head.

"Hm… That's a slight issue" Nalya acknowledged. "The water is too shallow for the Sub-Ferry to go to Suncoast City, so it doesn't run there. Still, I'd mark it on a map as a reminder."

Riley followed her advice and marked Suncoast City on his Holo-Map.

"There's plenty to explore in Vancine City, still, so at least you won't get bored," smiled Nalya. "I'll see you around. Thanks for the memorable battle."

* * *

Riley exited the doors of the Pokemon Centre, feeling relieved that the three Pokemon on his party, Faraten, Burndillo, and Pupsky, were now fully healed. He consulted his Holo-Map, which he had zoomed in to focus on the dense, full Vancine City. There were a few paths which led away from Vancine Central Rd., Riley's current location. He looked up to get his bearings, which is when he noticed… one of the paths leading away from the Vancine Central Rd. Plaza was blocked off by several identical gray trucks. There was a uniform logo on all the trucks. It looked like a PokeBall, on a diagonal, but the line through the PokeBall was a stylized electric bolt symbol. He walked over, curious.

Employees wearing suits with the same logos on their chests appeared to be working along the street. Some were standing guard by the trucks, making sure nobody stumbled into the work area. "Hey, kid," one of the employees greeted. He was a tall, muscled man with a chinstrap beard.

Riley walked closer.

"We're with BurstPower," explained the employee. "Y'know, the big electrical company from all over the Chinocko region. We're working on restoring the power to this section of Vancine City. Unfortunately, we can't let you past."

Riley put his hand on one of his PokeBalls.

"Not even a Pokemon battle can get us to move, kid," the employee chuckled. "For people's safety, this section of the city is off-limits until we get the power back on. Sorry for the inconvenience."

Riley sighed, and turned back. He noticed a familiar face, with a beret on top. It was Rose!


	13. Fate, and Fishies

"Hey, Riley," Rose acknowledged with a wave. "So, how bad did you get whooped by Nalya? I wish I was there to see your team get creamed!" she remarked.

Riley excitedly opened his Badge Case, showcasing the shiny silver Graduate Badge to Rose!

"Oh-" Rose gasped. "You actually got the Gym Badge…" She had to take a moment to think of what she was going to say. She clearly hadn't expected that Riley had gotten the Graduate Badge already. "Um… well… congrats, then."

Riley smiled thankfully. He inquired about where Rose was headed.

"Me? Well, I'm taking on the Pokemon Gym now! It's such a large city, and I stopped by Vancine Park to do some light Pokemon Training beforehand," explained Rose, moving some hair out of her face with an elegant half-gloved hand. "Look at you, actually ahead of me for once."

Riley rolled his eyes.

"Don't get used to it, though. I'm going to get the Graduate Badge faster than you can say- uh- 'graduate,' I guess."

Riley chuckled. He almost wanted to say 'graduate' right in front of her, as a joke, but he decided to remain silent.

"Was nice seeing you, Slowpoke," Rose said with an endearingly misplaced sneer. "Wish me luck! Uh, not that I need something silly like luck to win the Graduate Badge!"

Riley nodded and parted ways with his brash best friend. As he watched her walk through the doors of the nearby Pokemon Trainer University, which was the location of Nalya's Normal-type Pokemon Gym, he sighed in reflection. He loved her dearly, as a friend, but she was already treating her Pokemon journey and Riley's with such competition. Although, perhaps it was motivational to think that he already had an established Pokemon Rival.

Just then, as he was slowly starting to realize he didn't know where to go next, he caught sight of a passing truck. It was brightly coloured, and had a logo and a name on the side. Though it wasn't one of the BurstPower trucks. This one was coloured blue and had both the Vancine City municipal stamp painted on it, as well as the flag of Chinocko. Riley took a moment to read it while the truck was stalled in traffic. "Pokemon Fishery," it read. "Come learn about the Pokemon in Chinocko's waters!"

For some reason, he knew that was where he was bound to go next.

* * *

The doors to the Pokemon Fishery were wide, tall, and made of lightly-tainted glass. There was a welcome desk to the left, and a door leading to a gift shop to the right, though it seemed like such elaborate doors only lead right back outside.

"Oh, it's you again… Riley, was it?"

Riley walked forward to get a better look at the person who claimed to recognize him. It was the blue haired Pokemon Conservationist, Eric. He wore the same long indigo coat as before, which helped differentiate him from others wearing similar hiking outfits.

"How pleasant to see you again," he smiled. "It seems fate is adamant that we see each other often."

Riley wasn't sure how to respond… Fate… It seemed increasingly real as his adventure progressed. He had received that mysterious Medallion Shard from that Pokemon, Pe'eleon, after all… Yet, he still wasn't quite sure he trusted that fate was truly behind any of it. He simply smiled back.

"The waters are as much a part of Chinocko's ecosystem as the land and air, whether we realize it or not, don't you think?" Eric inquired.

Riley thought for a moment… Was the water really worthy of being called an 'ecosystem'? He shrugged.

"It's all right to be a bit overwhelmed by it all," Eric reassured. "I just think that the water, and the Pokemon the live in the water, is fascinating. Some amazing Pokemon make their homes in Chinocko's waters, like Salmet, Zipgill, Bellyp, Molunny, Smollusc… the list goes on. Some Pokemon live exclusively in Chinocko's coastal waters, which are rich in salt from the sediments under the surface, while others thrive in Chinocko's rivers and lakes."

Riley did his best to keep up.

"Oh, yes, you must be wondering what I'm doing here…" Eric trailed off for just a second. "I suppose my little speech doesn't really explain that." He rubbed the back of his navy-haired head. "The water constantly changes, in many ways. Tide, current, temperature… And Pokemon that live in the water must constantly adapt to the water's changes. The Pokemon Fishery employs Pokemon Breeders with specialized skillsets to breed and care for Pokemon who normally live in Chinockan waters, and monitors the patterns in certain water bodies. Then, when the conditions are right, the Pokemon that have been bred in the Pokemon Fishery are released into the water bodies in which they can thrive. It allows Pokemon populations to be monitored. As you may have put together by now, as a Pokemon Conservationist, I am particularly interested in the data which the Pokemon Fishery records. That, in a nutshell, is why I've come here today."

Riley took a moment to process the wealth of information. He nodded once he was sure he understood.

Eric chuckled. "My apologies, I'm passionate about Pokemon Conservation, so I like to explain in-depth what my studies entail. I imagine it can be a bit much at times."

Riley assured his friend… yes, friend sounded right, in regards to Eric, who had effectively saved his life a few days ago- that it didn't bother him. The information Eric spouted already proved to expand Riley's understanding of Pokemon, anyway.

"Oh, you don't mind? That's reassuring," Eric smiled. He had something in his hand which Riley hadn't thought to pay any mind to until Eric stared at it himself. It was a fishing rod. It looked like it had been through the wringer, but it was still visibly usable. "The Pokemon Fishery allows Pokemon Trainers to practice their casting in catch-and-release battles."

Oh! That sounded like a good opportunity to practice, Riley thought.

"I suppose someone here has read my studies," Eric chuckled, "since they offered for me to take this Old Rod that the Pokemon Fishery no longer uses." He stared the fishing rod up and down. "However, I don't train Pokemon, so… though I'm grateful, I have no use for it. Here, friend, why don't you have it?"

Riley gratefully accepted it. He was pleasantly surprised to see that the rod was able to compactly fold in such a way that he could easily fit it into the largest pocket of his backpack, where he had been keeping all of his most important, irreplaceable items.

"I've gathered the information that I needed from the Pokemon Fishery, so I was just a bit mesmerized by the Pokemon swimming in the pool below. Come, see for yourself." Eric gestured for Riley to come closer. Riley walked up and looked over the glass railing at the running water below.

There was a simulated river, with Salmet swimming upstream, against its current. Riley was fascinated by the way they used their propeller-like fins to leap out of the water and against the current.

"Did you know Salmet were dangerously close to extinction until recently?" Eric asked, coming to a stop next to Riley.

Riley had heard something like that in one of his father's Pokemon documentaries, but… it seemed unbelievable.

"Between an increase in climate temperature and inconsiderate Pokemon Catching practices shortly following the 'War Over Chinocko', Salmet, which was a sacred Pokemon to the native people, declined to a scarily low population. However, the Fishery has been a big help in returning Salmet to a less-scary population size."

Riley almost wanted to ask what Eric was referring to when he said the 'War Over Chinocko,' but… his head was already hurting from all the information on water-dwelling Pokemon.

"Looks like I've talked someone into a daze yet again." Eric's cheeks glowed slightly with a blush. "I really must learn when to shut up, heh… Well, I have no doubt that fate will have us meet again. Good luck on your Pokemon journey, Riley." Riley watched as Eric,with his calming presence, sauntered away.

* * *

Riley followed signage down a hallway, which led him out to an outdoor pond where there were people practicing catching water-bound Pokemon using fishing rods. Riley smiled, glad that he had found the place he had meant to be. There was a wooden shack with a wide window in the front. Behind the window was an excited-looking man in a blue uniform. "'Ey there!" the man called to Riley.

Riley walked over. This must be where he could get the temporary PokeBalls to use on the Pokemon from the Fishery.

"The Fishery gets a lot of guests who just want to take a break and do Catch-and-Release Battles in our ponds," the man explained, fiddling with his baseball cap. Riley could tell that he was most likely bald underneath the hat. He continued, "We like the traffic, though. It means we get to show off our exhibits, and our Pokemon. We have a small aquarium indoors, if you're interested in checking it out. It's nothing much. It's not like the Celesteme City Aquarium in the Coastal Subregion. But, I mean, since you're here, you probably wanna fish, 'eh?"

Riley nodded.

"You're not allowed to use regular PokeBalls of any kind on the Fishery's Pokemon, since we ultimately do want to release them into the wild once conditions are right. We rent out Catch-and-Release Balls, or C.R. Balls, for short, from this little shack here. Catching a Pokemon in a C.R. Ball will let you register it in your PokeDex, if you have a PokeDex, and the experience your Pokemon gain from the battle won't be affected either. Though, the Pokemon will not be able to be added to your party or to a P.C. Box, since the C.R. Ball automatically releases the Pokemon back into the pond shortly after catching it."

Riley didn't really understand why that was useful…

"Oh, but wait! There's more!"

Riley was interested yet again.

"The number of Pokemon that you've caught in C.R. Balls can be recorded on a Fishery Card, and the points you earn for catching different Pokemon in our facility can be exchanged for prizes. Since it's free to participate in our Catch-and-Release program, why not, right? It's practically free stuff!"

Riley was sold! He slammed his hands down on the wooden counter.

"Okay, great!" the man in uniform excitedly cheered. "Here, take this Fishery Card. Fill in your name and stuff. You have a pen?"

Riley thought for a moment… no, of all things he'd remembered to pack, he didn't have a pen. The man behind the counter passed Riley a black pen, and he excitedly filled out his name and his Pokemon Trainer License number on the card.

"Awesome! Happy catchin'!" With that, the man handed Riley a tied bag filled with ten C.R. Balls! And, furthermore, that meant that the challenge was officially on!

Riley ran out to one of the docks that extended into the pond. There was someone sitting in one of the two wooden chairs on the dock. "'Ello," the seated man greeted. He had been waiting for a while for a Pokemon to bite his line. He took a sip of some steaming liquid in a thermostat. Riley sat down too, and took a brief swig of the water bottle which he had attached to the chain on his cargo jeans. "I think fishin' is just plain relaxin'," the seated man said. "Of course, there's nothin' quite like the rush of gettin' a bite, either! It's like the best of both opposites!"

Riley through the line of his new Old Rod into the pond, and it wasn't even a minute by the time he'd gotten a nibble! He hadn't really stopped to think about it, but he imagined his own battle theme playing before he'd even gotten the nibble. He reeled in the Pokemon, and a Salmet jumped up onto the dock! Now, the battle theme in Riley's head was even more climactic!

The man on the same dock spoke up again, "Looks like the 'mon like you!" He chuckled heartily. "Care for some help? I won't attempt to catch it; it didn't bite my line."

Riley felt like he could handle a simple Salmet by himself, but… the fisherman looked so desperate to get in on the action. He accepted the offer.

"No need to thank me! Name's Norman! Fisherman Norman!" the fisherman, who had high rubber boots and baggy waterproof pants, held up by suspenders (which was what almost everyone on the docks was wearing) excitedly proclaimed. "Meet my buddy!"

Fisherman Norman ran over to Riley's side and threw a Great Ball into the battle range! The Pokemon that came out was a bird Pokemon with a long, very long beak and fluffy feathers on its head. "Herpoon!" it cawed. Its long beak had an arrowhead on the end of it, and it had two long, sturdy legs which looked ideal for keeping it in place in rushing water.

Riley took out his PokeDex and scanned the Pokemon. "Herpoon. The Heron Pokemon. Types: Water, and Flying. Herpoon's long beak allows it to spear its water-bound prey, while its sturdy legs dig into stone and sand to keep it from being swept away by river currents. The feather in front of its right eye looks like an eyepatch, but it also allows it to block out the reflection of water vapour, allowing it to fixate on Pokemon under the water. It holds itself with a distinct wild majesty."

Riley reached for Faraten's PokeBall, but he knew that Faraten's attacks were super-effective, and therefore ran the risk of making the Salmet faint before he could catch it. He sent out Pupsky instead!

The Salmet flopped helplessly on the dock for a few moments, before it collected itself and used the water vapour in the air, which was a lot thanks to the nearby pond, to allow itself to hover just slightly in the air.

Herpoon, its speed evident in its appearance alone, managed the first attack. It flapped over to Salmet, and drilled its beak right into the Pokemon's hard flesh! Drill Peck, is what the move looked to be!

Riley wanted a reminder of Salmet's features so he could create a strategy. He pointed his PokeDex at it. "Salmet," the PokeDex said. "The Aboriginal Pokemon. Types: Water, and Rock. Its fins reflect water vapour such that they appear to be detached from its body. They use their shiny caudal fins essentially as propellers, like on a speedboat, to propel themselves against harsh river currents."

Water, Riley could clearly see, but it was a little less immediately obvious that Salmet was also half Rock-type. Riley instructed Pupsky to use Double Hit on it!

Salmet used Tackle on the Herpoon which had just attacked it! Before it could react, Pupsky used Double Hit!

Salmet looked quite weak after that… but not so weak that it was ready to retreat back into the water! Riley took the opportunity to throw one of his Catch-and-Release Balls at it! The C.R. Ball looked much like a regular PokeBall, but the top half was deep blue and the bottom half was a desaturated yellow. It opened, and the Salmet went inside!

3... 2… and… The Pokemon broke free after the second rumble of the PokeBall! Riley almost had it!

Herpoon looked ready to attack again, but Norman could see that Riley was attempting to catch the weakened Salmet, so he instructed his Herpoon to use Protect instead.

Riley went to toss another C.R. Ball…! But he knew that he was getting overexcited. Salmet was preparing an attack, and if he fired the C.R. Ball now, it would surely miss.

Salmet used what looked like Water Gun on Herpoon, who had been the one who had dealt the most damage to it! The Water Gun was repelled by the Herpoon's Protect barrier, though, and splashed off in all other directions as harmless droplets.

The droplets got Pupsky wet, and while it didn't take damage from them, it seemed shocked by them. It shook off the wetness from its fur, which in turn soaked Riley. Riley glared at his Pokemon, who lied down on its stomach in shame.

Riley tossed the C.R. Ball in his hand, seeing the ideal opportunity! It opened with the same bright light as a regular PokeBall, and Salmet was contained inside it!

3... 2… 1… and… caught! Riley marked down that he had caught a Salmet. The C.R. Ball broke open on its own moments later, and Salmet hopped back into the pond to recover. Riley reminded himself that he was down to 8 C.R. Balls now. Based on a guideline that was posted on a sign on the dock, Riley calculated the amount of points that a Salmet was worth.

"Still nothin' on my line…" Norman sighed, taking another sip of his warm drink.

Riley tossed out the line of his Old Rod once more. It had gotten caught in some shallow mud, so he started reeling it back in, sure that it would come back with nothing on it. He was surprised to see a very flat Pokemon on the end of his rod when he pulled it back onto the dock.

He had no idea what it was. It looked incredibly strange. Shocked, and slightly weirded out, Riley scanned the strangely flat Pokemon with his PokeDex. "Stunfisk. The Trap Pokemon. Types: Ground, and Electric," explained the PokeDex. Riley was shocked. The Pokemon clearly looked like a fish-type Pokemon, and it was living in a pond, yet it wasn't Water-type, even partly? "In Chinocko, Stunfisk live in and around ponds. They don't like to be fully submerged in water, so they prefer ponds which are surrounded by viscous mud. They thrive on microorganisms in and around their habitats, though they attack anything that accidentally steps on its concealed body."

Riley wasn't sure what Pokemon to send out this time… Faraten's Electric typing made it weak to any Ground-type moves Stunfisk potentially knew, as did Burndillo's Fire typing. Pupsky barked at the Stunfisk from beside Riley's foot, so Riley let Pupsky battle once more!

Norman's Herpoon was also ready for another battle! While it was a Water and Flying-type, its Water typing gave it an offensive advantage against Stunfisk. Thankfully, like last time, Herpoon got its attack in first! It used Water Gun on Stunfisk! Stunfisk flopped around on the wooden dock! It suddenly stopped flopping… Riley was concerned about if it was okay…


End file.
